


Timeless

by ARtheBard



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-04-30 22:31:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 45,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5182073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARtheBard/pseuds/ARtheBard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ali Krieger has spent centuries looking for her lost love. Has she finally found her in goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris? And does she dare hope they can finally live happily ever after when media scrutiny threatens to reveal the secret she has kept for so long; a secret that could spell the end of their relationship forever? Or will their love overcome the odds and prove to be timeless after all?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I've written a bunch of fanfic on another site but this is the first time 2 real people have captured my imagination. Here's hoping my crazy imagination helps you all pull a veil over their real personas and escape for a bit into my wicked imagination. Enjoy my crazy little folly. --AR

She sits atop the upper deck. No, not in the seats of the open-air stadium but the actual roof above it. She peers down at the field. Though the players look miniscule from her vantage point the one that captivates her attention maintains her gaze. She had first seen her months before on a news report, talking about the upcoming NWSL season. The player had spoken with excitement about her team, upcoming USWNT games, and the World Cup which would be taking place in Canada the following summer.

The demi-goddess had felt a stirring within her that she had not felt in many a century. Feelings returned to her like an old, long-forgotten friend, warming her in a way she had forgotten existed.

From that point forward she had become an avid fan of the Washington Spirit. She cheered at all games (both home and away- -being alive for hundreds of years has its financial benefits, after all) as the woman organized her defensive line into a force that stymied even the best forwards the world had in the league. The fierce, competitive nature of the defender shown through come win or come lose. It was intoxicating.

And now the USWNT is preparing for a series of Qualifiers that would either see them through to the World Cup. Or see the dreams of 23 women, and their nation, dashed. Though not the starter for this all-star squad, the woman still left it all on the field in practice and in games.

“She is incredible,” a soft, alto voice says from behind her, startling the observer. “Yes, Mother, she is.”

Athena carefully steps up beside her daughter and stares down at the field. “Do you think she’s the one, Alexa?”

Alexa, daughter of Athena, now Alexandra “Ali” Krieger in this lifetime, sighs sadly. “I don’t know.”

“You’ve had months to approach her, Alexa. Why haven’t you?”

“Because...because if I don’t, I can keep believing she might be,” Ali replies honestly after a moment of reflection. “So many times I’ve been wrong...”

“My daughter, you have my wisdom and your father’s kind heart. Use them,” Athena encourages.

Ali watches as the team gathers in the center of the field for one last talk and cheer. Ali glances up at her mother. “I’m scared, Mother.”

Athena smiles at her and runs a hand down her raven hair. “I know, sweet girl. I know.”

Ali looks back down as the team gives a cheer and starts to gather their things to leave. As they walk towards the opposite sideline, the blonde goalkeeper stops and suddenly glances up over her shoulder towards the upper reaches of the stadium. Ali gasps in surprise as Athena lifts an eyebrow.

Ashlyn Harris can’t help but feel she is being watched. For some reason, she turns and looks up at the roof. But the blinding spotlights blur that area with a halo of bright light. She shakes her head and continues to the bench. “Someone on the roof watching you? You’re losing your mind, Harris,” she mumbles to herself.

Once the team is gone, Ali looks up at her mother. “Did she...know I was here?”

“I don’t know,” Athena admits. “But it sure seemed like she felt your eyes upon her. Only true love can give one that ability.”

“Maybe...” Ali stands and moves to the outside of the building.

“I can give you a lift if you like,” her mother offers.

“Nah, I got this,” Ali says.

She leaps off the edge freefalling down before landing with a teeth-rattling jolt on the ground. She makes her way to her car, wondering if she will ever have the courage to open herself up to disappointment and approach Ashlyn.

From above Athena watches her daughter leave. “Have faith, young one. Have faith,” she whispers.


	2. Chapter 2

“So, you planning to sleep here or what?”

 Ashlyn jumps as Pinoe’s hand lands on her shoulder. “Uh, what?”

 “We’re at the hotel. You getting off the bus or do you plan to sleep out here tonight?” the platinum blonde teases.

Ashlyn looks around as if she is only just registering where she is. “Oh. Right.” She stands and grabs her bag. “Thanks.”

Pinoe studies her carefully. “You okay?” she asks in concern.

“Yeah. I think so. I mean...never mind, it’s nuts,” Ashlyn mumbles.

Pinoe stops her from walking away. “Hey, man, stop. Look, I know Beth dumping you right before Qualifiers sucks. It sucks big time. But you’ve been playing great. Don’t let her creep back into your head. And if she starts to, you can talk to me, okay?”

Ashlyn manages a smile. “I know. Thanks. It actually wasn’t her I was thinking about.” The two make their way off the bus. Ash is thankful everyone else is so far ahead since she decides to admit what has her distracted. “You ever get the feeling you’re being watched?”

Pinoe pretends to think. “Well, only in a stadium filled with thousands of people. Or at bars in the Seattle area. Or at- -”

Ash chuckles and shoves her. “Shut up, ass. That’s not what I meant. I meant like...like someone you couldn’t see?”

“Like a stalker?” Pinoe asks with real concern.

“Yeah. I mean no. I mean...shit...” Ash takes a deep breath. “At practice tonight I kept feeling like someone was watching me. And then...when we gave the cheer I kinda looked up and I could have sworn I saw someone on the roof and for an instant it was like...like I could feel her eyes burning into my soul.”

Pinoe stops walking and studies her friend. If Ashlyn hadn’t looked so spooked Pinoe would have been teasing her mercilessly. “The roof? Like...above the seats the roof?” Pinoe clarifies.

“Yeah. I mean...it makes no sense.” Ashlyn bites her lip a second then shakes her head. “You know what? Forget I said anything. It’s ridiculous.”

“Maybe. But I’ve never known you to be one prone to paranoia. You think maybe it’s just nerves?”

Ashlyn shrugs. “Makes more sense than anything else.”

“Or maybe it’s...well...I mean, the roof is a pretty impossible place for anyone to be. Maybe you kinda thought maybe Beth was up there? I mean, her showing up is kinda impossible, too, you know what I mean?” Pinoe suggests carefully.

Ashlyn thinks a moment then shakes her head. “No, I think I can safely say Beth had nothing to do with this...whatever this is.” She takes a deep breath and shakes her head as if to clear it. “I’m just going to chalk it up to nerves.”

Pinoe claps her on the back. “Right. Nerves.” She pauses. “Or you’re mad as a hatter. Either one.” The two laugh and continue on to the elevator to go get ready for team dinner.

* * *

Across the street, Ali watches as the two women walk into the hotel. She knew, somehow, that they had been talking about her without even realizing it.

“Maybe you’re the one...”

She twists the ring on her finger back and forth. She remembers other times she had gotten her hopes up. World War II France. Medieval England. The French Revolution- -she unconsciously rubs her neck, remembering what happened to that potential life mate. So many other times. She rolls her eyes and starts the car.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Alexa. It’s not worth the pain,” she mumbles to herself and drives towards her own hotel.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn’t too hard a hit but it was enough to make Jill Ellis pull Hope Solo. It was late in the game and Mexico had a breakaway. Already down 3-0 the women were eager to do whatever it took to get back into the match with 10 minutes to go.

A lofted shot into the penalty box. What looked to be a simple catch for Hope. A forward desperate to score going shoulder first into the keeper’s ribs.

Hope hits the ground hard, curling into the fetal position as the pain forces the air from her lungs. Becky gets to her first and drops down beside her.  
  
“Easy, Hope. Just breathe, honey. It’s okay. Breathe,” she coaches carefully as Kling waves for the trainers. 

On the bench, Ashlyn had stood along with everyone else. Yes, she wants to play. No, she doesn’t want it like this. Hope is her friend and teammate. She looks around until she makes eye contact with her best friend, who is playing right back. Whitney slowly shakes her head.  
  
“Shit,” Ash mumbles and starts to go through her warm up stretches.

Jill watches the trainers and finally gets the signal she had been dreading. She looks down the bench. “Harris, check in.”  
  
“Yes, Coach,” Ashlyn says, pulling off her pinnie and grabbing her gloves.

The trainers help Hope up and they start towards the sideline, the keeper holding her ribs protectively. The ref waves Ash on and the blonde jogs onto the pitch. She and Hope share a nod. Hope’s is for good luck. Ash’s is the promise she’ll protect the clean sheet.

As she reaches her huddled backline, Ashlyn finishes tightening her gloves. “About 10 minutes left guys. Let’s keep Hope’s clean sheet,” she states.  
  
“We got this,” Kling agrees and throws her hand in.  
  
The defenders bring their hands together. “Hope on 3,” Christie states. “One. Two. Three.”  
  
“HOPE!”

They cheer and then separate to get into position. The ref whistles for the start of play but Ash waits a moment longer to ensure her players are ready. She lifts her hand in the air and a moment later booms the ball downfield.  
  
“Ten minutes, Harris. Just 10 minutes,” she whispers as she watches the teams fight for possession. “We win, we are on our way to our dreams.”

* * *

The stadium got eerily silent when Hope went down. Ali listened to the concerned whispers as people watched the replay on the Jumbotron and speculated on the depth of the injury to arguably the number 1 goalkeeper in the world. And though Ali didn’t want the woman hurt badly, she hoped it was enough to get Ashlyn a few minutes playing time. She moves her eyes to the bench and sees the blonde starting to warm up. Ali smiles.

“Show ’em all what you got, baby,” she breathes.

She blushes when she realizes the endearment had rolled so easily off her tongue.  
  
“You’re a freakin’ stalker, Alex,” she scolds herself.

Thirteen minutes after she takes the field, the referee blows the whistle ending the game. Ali cheers just as much as everyone else. The U.S. sealed their 3-0 win and with it had stamped their tickets to the Women’s World Cup being played the following summer in Canada.

Ali remains in her seat as the team does a victory lap, stopping to sign autographs and take selfies with fans along the way. Her eyes follow Ashlyn from the other side of the stadium until she finally makes her way to the crowd right in front of Ali’s section. She signs a few autographs and smiles as people congratulate her on her cap, short though it may have been. 

As the keeper turns to catch up with her team at the locker room she suddenly freezes. She slowly turns back around and her eyes immediately find Ali’s. The brunette’s eyes widen as they stare at each other. Ali finally pulls her eyes away as a blush colours her cheeks. When she looks back up Ashlyn is walking away, the pep in her step seemingly gone.

Then she turns again and once again locks eyes with Ali. There is confusion in her face as if she is trying to figure out how they know each other. Ali breathes in sharply.

  
“Oh sweet Olympus...it’s her...”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone so far for following along with my crazy little folly. A couple people posted wishes I keep writing. No worries. I adhere to one strict rule when writing fanfic: no posting until the story is done. That way I don't overthink it and/or screw up continuity points. :o)

Even though the team still has the championship game to play, they celebrate a little longer than normal that night knowing they had punched their tickets to Canada. Everybody had congratulated Ashlyn on the two late saves she had made and she, in turn, congratulated Hope on just having some bruises and nothing serious. The whole time her smile is wide and her dimple is on display. Only her best friend sees the normally sparkling hazel eyes are shrouded with concern.

As the party in the conference room the team is using dies down, Whitney makes her way over to the blonde. Ashlyn stands staring out the window into the dark Philadelphia night. Whit places a hand on her besties shoulder.

“Obol for your thoughts,” she says.

Ashlyn looks at her in confusion. “A what? What did you say?”

Whit grins. “I said a penny for your thoughts. It’s an old saying meaning tell me what’s on your mind.”

“A penny,” Ashlyn repeats softly. “I’d have sworn you said...you know what, never mind.” She takes a sip of her SmartWater. “Whit, have you ever seen someone for the first time and just...just felt like you knew them? I mean, not like you might have seen them before or they look like someone but felt deep in your gut that...that you know them? And that you’ve known them forever?”

Whit studies her friend. The question is so weird she wants to laugh but she can see the sincerity behind the question. She gives a slight shrug.

“I...guess...maybe. I mean, like, when we first me we clicked like we’d known each other forever,” she points out.

“Yeah but...not like that. Like...like deeper than that. Fuck, I can’t explain it.” Ashlyn leans her forehead against the cool glass of the window as if it will help her straighten out her thoughts.

“What brought this on? Did you hit your head or something?” Whit asks, truly concerned about the number of concussions her friend has had.

Ash chuckles. “No, my head is fine. Mostly. I think.” She runs a hand through her hair. “Then again maybe it’s not.” She tells Whitney about the strange feeling of being watched the day before and then about locking eyes with the beautiful brunette at the game that night. “It was like...I knew her, Whit. Like I knew her down to the core of me.”

Whitney studies her friend. She can see this is really tearing Ashlyn up but the defender is at a loss. “I...don’t know what to say, Ash. Are you sure you just didn’t see her and think she was hot or something?”

“No. I mean, yeah she was but...but it was more than that, Whit. I feel like I could go out right now and buy her all her favorite things without ever having said a word to her. I’ve never felt like this before.”

Whit’s eyes widen as a realization dawns on her. “Ashlyn...swear to me you haven’t seen her before.”

“I swear, Whit. Why?”

“Because the look in your eyes I have only seen twice before and it was the two times you were in love with someone.”

Ashlyn blushes as her head whips around to stare at her friend. “Love? IN love? What the fuck?”

“You tell me! What’s going on here, Ash? How can you feel all this for a stranger? Did she look like Beth or something? Or Casey back in college?”

“No! Nothing like either of them,” Ashlyn insists. “I swear, Whit, I don’t understand any of this. Maybe...maybe it’s just getting a cap this way or something. Who the fuck knows...”

Ashlyn’s head falls back against the window. Her eyes are scrunched shut as she tries to understand the rush of feelings coursing through her body. Whitney just rubs her back not knowing what to say. It isn’t often her friend is so distraught. Whit knows Ash wears her heart on her sleeve and often feels deeply for her friends and family. But this is different. In all their years of friendship she has never seen her this stressed out about a stranger.

Whit wraps an arm around her shoulder. “Come on, Ash, let’s get you to bed. Maybe by morning something will make sense to you.”

“Yeah, okay. Sure.”

Ashlyn lets Whit lead her out of the room. Maybe a good night’s sleep will help her get rid of this crazy feeling she has for a complete stranger.

Neither had noticed the brunette across the street who stared up at the window until the women disappeared.  
 

* * *

 

Despite the turmoil in her mind, Ashlyn falls quickly into sleep. Whitney had waited for her friend to drop off before letting herself slip into slumber. Had she waited a few more minutes, she would have seen her best friend’s sleep begin to get restless.

_“THEY ARE BREACHING THE BACK DOOR!” a man screams in terror._

_“FORTIFY IT!” a woman commands._

_Ashlyn, standing in the middle of the battle in her USWNT keeper’s kit, looks around in confusion. Men in strange leather and metal armour race to brace large doors on either end of a marble temple. A large statue of a woman holding a shield and sword, an owl perched on her shoulder, is the centerpiece of this structure._

_“What the hell...” she mutters._

_She is jolted out of her observations when a thunderous boom echoes in the cavernous room. She turns to the front of the temple and sees men bracing the doors. Another boom echoes and the large double doors shudder. She is nearly knocked over as more men run to help brace that door. One of the men stops and turns back to Ashlyn._

_Ashlyn gets lost in the fierce brown eyes that lock with her own. This man is actually a woman with raven hair and face contorted for battle. For a moment that battlefield mask falls and her eyes fill with love. She steps to Ashlyn and places a calloused yet gentle hand against the taller woman’s cheek._

_“I am so sorry, love.”_

_Ashlyn’s cheek tingles where they touch and she automatically lifts her hand to grip the one on her face. “For...for what?”_

_“I should have sent you back to your parents. I should have never let you don the armours of Athena.”_

_Ashlyn looks down and sees her keeper’s kit has been replaced by the same outfit as the men and this woman wear. She slowly looks back up._

_“I...I don’t understand...”_

_There are tears in the beauty’s eyes. “We knew the Persians were coming. I should have sent you away. My own selfish desires kept you here. I love you, Adrasteia.”_

_“And I love you, Alexa,” Ashlyn answers automatically, wondering where these words and the name had come from. “I’d never leave you to fight this battle alone, my love.”_

_“We are going to lose this temple. And if you are captured they will be...you will be...” she can’t finish the sentence._

_Ashlyn steps closer. “I know. I’d face all of that to stand by your side.”_

_Ali pulls her into a kiss. They hold each other close these last, desperate moments of their love. As they pull back Ali memorizes every line, contour and colour of her lover’s face._

_“I know you would. I can’t allow that.”_

_She pulls her into another kiss before Ashlyn can ask what she means. As the doors to the temple crumble inward, Ali shoves a dagger into her lover. Ashlyn stiffens but is dead before her mind can truly register what has happened. Ali guides her body to the ground._

_“Uncle Hades, please guide her to Elysia,” she whispers as she turns to help her men continue to defend her mother’s temple until the last man falls._

_As a Persian races towards Ali, Athena appears to whisk her daughter away to safety._  
 

Ash sits up in bed gasping for air. She is covered in sweat and reaches for her chest, looking for a puncture mark between her ribs which does not exist. She carefully looks around and the images of a temple recede to be replaced by a hotel room in Philly. The calm, steady breathing of her best friend is the only sound she hears.

“Son of a bitch,” she whispers, checking her chest one more time.

On unsteady legs she gets up and goes into the bathroom to get a glass of water. She fills a cup and leans down to splash some of the cool water on her face. She looks into the mirror and for just a split second she doesn’t recognize her face. She jumps back a step as she stares at herself. She starts to chuckle.

“You are so losing your mind, Harris,” she says.

She goes back into the bedroom but bypasses her bed and steps to the window instead. She stares out into the night, her mind on the woman that caught her eye after the game...and who then invaded her dreams this evening.  
 

* * *

 

Ali sits on her bed searching the internet for fan vids, pics, anything posted from the game. She is not disappointed to see so much on Tumbler about Ashlyn’s entry into the game. Photos, gifs of her saves and her jog onto the field, memes. She is definitely not the only one with a mild obsession for the woman. She grins to herself.

“Mild obsession. Right,” she chuckles.

As she scrolls down her breath suddenly hitches. One picture obviously taken with a good camera with a powerful lens captures the moment that Ashlyn had turned back and locked eyes with Ali.

“Adrasteia...”

It is the same look Ali’s lover had when she had said she wanted to help defend the temple, not just deliver offerings from the villagers. Fierce. Loyal. Determined. Ali had loved her from afar for so long she readily agreed to give the woman a chance.  
 

* * *

 

_“Is this wise, Alexa?”_

_“Is what wise, Mother?” Ali responds, knowing full well what her mother is talking about._

_“You have been love-sick for that girl since she reached the age of dedication and began bringing my tributes.”_

_“Love her? Right,” Ali scoffs. “I learned decades ago not to give myself over to love. It only hurts when they grow old or die.”_

_Athena runs a hand over her daughter’s head. “The curse of immortality from me compounded by the human frailty of the heart from your father.”_

_“Exactly. So sure I find her intriguing but it is her heart and bravery that made me accept her as a soldier to honour and guard your temple.”_

_They watch as the agile woman goes through training with a sword._

_“She is impressive for a mere farmer’s daughter,” Athena notes._

_Ali can’t help but smile. “That she is.”_

_For two years, Ashlyn trains and Ali fights her growing attraction for the warrior woman. Every man in the area knows that any unwanted attention, any disrespectful comment about Adrasteia is a certain death sentence from the head of the temple warriors. On the day Ashlyn finally passes her last test and earns the right to wear the full armour of the temple, Ali knows she will finally lose the battle of her heart._

_“Rise, Adrasteia, and take your place as a defender of Athena, a keeper of the wisdom of war,” Ali says as she places a helmet upon the head of their latest warrior._

_Ashlyn rises and stares into the eyes of her leader. “And may I take my place at your right hand, Lochagos?”_

_Ali blushes. “What...what do you mean?”_

_“I mean I would give my life to protect this temple. And I would give even more to protect you, Lochagos. Perhaps Cupid has struck me silly but...but I wish to serve you as more than a soldier. I wish...I wish to serve you as a husband serves a wife,” she finishes, never once letting her eyes show any hesitance._

_“You are bold, Adrasteia,” Ali states emotionlessly._

_“No, Lochagos, I am in love,” she responds seriously._

_Ali studies her sculpted features. Was there an artist alive that could carve such beauty?_

_“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Ali warns._

_“I know enough...Alexa.”_

_Ali becomes aware of the men lined up in ranks beyond her newest soldier, watching this battle of wills. She looks to her second in command, who nods and gives her a small grin. Ali turns her attention back to the woman in front of her._

_“Take your place at my heart’s hand.”_

_Ashlyn lets out a breath and proudly steps up onto the stage to the left of her captain. No words need be said; no command given. In that action, Ali has told her assembled warriors that Ashlyn is hers and should be protected as the spouse of their leader. Ali thrusts her sword to the sky._

_“FOR ATHENA!”_

_“ATHENA! ATHENA! ATHENA!” the men chant._

_The men break up and Ali turns to the woman beside her. “Retrieve your things from the barracks and take them to my house.”_

_Ashlyn smiles. “I will do so at once, Lochagos.”_

_“In my house and in my arms, I am Alexa to you,” Ali says and walks away to make sure her men are properly organized after the initiation of 5 new guards that morning._  
 

* * *

 

Ali stands and moves to the window. Tears glisten on her cheeks. Ashlyn had been a dedicated, fierce warrior. She had done her lochagos, her captain, proud every time idiots attempted to rob the temple.

As a lover, she had been just as fierce but her strong hands were used to drive her lochagos to distraction and to levels of ecstasy she had never experienced before. Ali’s body tingles as she closes her eyes and remembers her lover using her hands, her mouth and, oh yes, her tongue to demonstrate her love. Unconsciously Ali bring her hand up and runs it over her breast, feeling her nipple immediately harden through bra and shirt. For a moment it is Adrasteia...no, in this time it is Ashlyn...that is touching her.

Then Ali opens her eyes and sees the dark night of Philly. As she watches, the skyline falls away. The walls of the hotel fade away to be replaced by the walls of long lost and forgotten temple in a long forgotten village on the borders of Ancient Greece.  
 

* * *

 

_For 2 days the village, with the help of a battalion from a larger city had managed to push back to the encroaching Persians. Temple guards had fought hard alongside the everyday warriors to defend their families and those that pay tribute to their goddess._

_But now those left have retreated to the temple. Ali, her clothes covered in mud and blood, stares at the terrified villagers seeking refuge in the temple of her mother. It is a lost cause. For all intents and purposes the village has fallen and, with that, this temple will fall, too. She steps into the adyton and stares at the special altar to Athena._

_“Mother, I have failed you. We cannot hold them off. I am sorry,” Ali hangs her head in shame and defeat. “I can’t even give my life for you but I will give all I can. This I vow to you.”_

_She walks back out to the cella. For the first time in 2 days she sees her lover...her wife. She walks down the steps from the ceremonial room and walks right up to her. She commits the face of her lover to memory once more, knowing she will spend eternity trying to find it again. She steps to Ashlyn and places a calloused yet gentle hand against the taller woman’s cheek._

_“I am so sorry, love.”_

_Ashlyn automatically lifts her hand to grip the one on her face. Ali’s hand tingles at the gesture. “For...for what?”_

_“I should have sent you back to your parents. I should have never let you don the armours of Athena.”_

_Ali is filled with a regret she knows she will carry for eternity._

_“I...I don’t understand...” Ashlyn says, her eyes filled with confusion._

_There are tears in Ali’s eyes. “We knew the Persians were coming. I should have sent you away. My own selfish desires kept you here. I love you, Adrasteia.”_

_“And I love you, Alexa,” Ashlyn answers automatically. “I’d never leave you to fight this battle alone, my love.”_

_“We are going to lose this temple. And if you are captured they will be...you will be...” she can’t finish the sentence._

_Ashlyn steps closer. “I know. I’d face all of that to stand by your side.”_

_Ali pulls her into a kiss. They hold each other close these last, desperate moments of their love. As they pull back Ali memorizes every line, contour and colour of her lover’s face._

_“I know you would. I can’t allow that.”_

_She pulls her into another kiss before Ashlyn can ask what she means. As the doors to the temple crumble inward, Ali shoves a dagger into her lover. Ashlyn stiffens but is dead before her mind can truly register what has happened. Ali guides her body to the ground._

_“Uncle Hades, please guide her to Elysia,” she whispers as she turns to help her men continue to defend her mother’s temple until the last man falls._

_As a Persian races towards Ali, Athena appears to whisk her daughter away to safety._  
 

* * *

 

Ali has lived that day over and over again. On the rare occasion she sleeps it haunts her dreams. In her dreams Adrasteia is not so forgiving, blaming Ali for murdering her instead of saving her.

Ali wipes the tears from her cheeks as the Philly skyline bleeds into view once more. She wipes her nose, amazed that the smell of this sterile hotel room had been replaced by the smell of blood, oil lamps, and fear. After a few minutes that old factory response also fades away.

“It’s really her. Ashlyn is really Adrasteia. But...but what does it mean? What do I do?”

She stares into the night, hoping an answer will come to her. But as night lightens into day she is still unsure if she should do anything more than stalk the woman who is the reincarnation of her one true love.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh and I apologize for any formatting issues and re-edits of posted chapters. I am still learning this sites ins and outs. Lol

“You look like crap,” Pinoe says as she drops down into the chair beside Ashlyn.

“Gee, thanks, Megs. Good morning to you, too,” Ashlyn grumbles with a sneer. She stirs her coffee. “Didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Hyped after your big game?” Pinoe asks sincerely.

“Yeah. Something like that,” she answers glumly.

“Well good thing there’s just recovery this morning and free time this- -” Pinoe’s voice trails off as the normally effervescent keeper gets up without a word and walks off with her coffee “- -afternoon.” She gets up and goes to another table. “Whitney? What’s up with Ash? She okay?”

Whitney looks up in time to see Ash walk out of the room. She sighs. “She just had weird dreams all night and is tired. She’ll be fine after recovery and a nap,” she assures Pinoe and the others at the table.

“Maybe she needs a day out shopping with me and Alex?” Sydney suggests.

Whitney chuckles. “You mean a day carrying all your bags,” she corrects.

Alex chuckles. “Sounds good to me either way. We just want to help,” she adds with a wink.

Whitney rolls her eyes in amusement. “I’ll make sure she knows the offer to be your packhorse is there.”

The group finishes up their breakfast with lighthearted laughter and conversations, even though Ashlyn’s issues are still niggling at the back of Whitney’s mind.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn had finished her recovery routine before anyone else. Though she had offers from everyone for the afternoon free time she begs off, claiming to want to rest. But after pacing around her room anxiously for 20 minutes she decides she has to get out of the room before claustrophobia drives her insane.

As she exits her room, she hangs a left towards the stairs. She doesn’t want to risk running into any teammates who might offer to join her on her walk. She manages to make it to the lobby without seeing anyone. As she carefully scans to make sure the coast is clear her luck runs out.

“Harris! Come here a minute,” Jill Ellis calls out to her.

Ashlyn takes a deep breath and walks over, forcing a smile to her face. “Hey, Coach.”

“Hi. Just wanted to say again great job last night. Makes me glad to know I can count on you when needed.”

“Thanks, Coach.”

“That said, I want you to know that my plan is to start Hope in the championship if she’s up to it. I want to keep letting her gel with that backline.”

Ashlyn nods in understanding. “Makes sense.”

“That said, be ready before and during the game to go if we need you.”

“You know I will be, Coach. Promise.”

Jill smiles at her. “I know it, Ash.” She pats her on the shoulder. “Now, go enjoy your day.”

“Thanks.”

Ash hurries to the door. She is nearly out when she hears the elevator doors open. HAO sees her and frowns in confusion.

“ASH! Hey, Ash! Wait up!”

She, Abby, Christie and Whitney watch in amazement and hurt as Ashlyn ignores them and hurries out the door. They rush over but by the time they get outside the blonde is nowhere to be seen.

“What the fuck?” Abby asks and the other three look at Whit.

She sighs. “I wish I knew. I swear I wish I knew.”  
 

* * *

 

“I’m like a crazed fan,” Ali mumbles to herself as she walks towards the hotel where the USWNT is staying. Her plan, if it can be called a plan, is to eat in the hotel restaurant in hopes of seeing Ashlyn.

“And then what? You have no idea,” she asks and answers herself.

She is almost to the hotel when the object of her obsession comes racing out the doors and takes off at a jog up the street. Ali glances in and sees four members of the team hurrying towards the door, concern etched on their faces. It doesn’t take centuries of studying human behaviour to see they are after Ashlyn. Ali reaches up and rubs the Gorgoneion pendant that hangs around her neck on a worn leather string.

“Conceal her from their eyes. Please,” she whispers as the four players exit the hotel.

Though Ali can still see Ashlyn making her escape up the block, the four humans look around in confusion.

“What the fuck?” Abby asks and the other three look at Whit.

She sighs. “I don’t know! I swear.”

“How the hell did she disappear so quickly?” Christie asks in frustration. “No damn way she is fast enough to get up around that corner!”

The four look around carefully, even looking up to see if Ash had somehow managed to find a ledge or something to hide upon. Ali leaves them to their confusion and walks past them quickly to follow Ashlyn up the street.

“So not a crazed fan. More like a creepy ass stalker,” she scolds herself as she picks up the pace when Ash does make it to the corner and turn.  
 

* * *

 

Ash is surprised that she makes it to the corner before the others make it out of the hotel and call for her. She slows to a walk.

_“Guess they took the hint that I wanted to be left alone. First time for everything, I guess_ ,” she thinks to herself.

Ash shoves her hands in her pockets and starts to walk not really paying attention to where she is going. She figures if she gets lost she can just get a cab back to the hotel. So she walks, trying to empty her mind. It usually works but not today. Today she sees a woman with raven hair and chocolate eyes; a fierce warrior; a beauty with sharp features and knowing eyes. Ashlyn brings up a hand and slaps her forehead a few times.

“Why the hell are you haunting me?” she groans.

After a couple of hours her stomach starts to rumble. She stops to look around and a tantalizing scent catches her nose. She follows it to a restaurant across the street.

“Taverna Cretekou. A Greek restaurant. Of course that’s what you find, Harris,” she mutters to herself and crosses at the corner.

As she enters the smells combine and seem to awaken something inside her. Something familiar even though she knows she’s never had Greek food before.

“Table for 1?” the lady at the front asks.

“Uh...uh, yeah. Um, yes please,” Ashlyn stumbles.

Ashlyn takes her seat and opens the menu. She has no idea what any of the items are and is glad they have a description under each listing.

“A drink, honey?”

Ashlyn looks up at the waitress. “Uh, yeah. Just a water please.”

The woman nods and walks off. Ashlyn turns back to the menu. Some of the names seem...familiar. As she reads the descriptions of some her mouth waters.

“It’s been so long since I had that,” she says to herself as she reads the description for saganaki. She frowns and shakes her head. “But...I’ve never had that... What the hell is going on with me?”

The waitress comes back with her water. “Ready to order?”

“Uh, I, um, I’d like to start with the saganaki, please,” she asks. “I’m still looking for the main course.”

The cute woman gives her a winning smile and wink. “No problem.”

Any other day Ashlyn would have noticed the blatant flirting. But today her mind was dealing with a swirling maelstrom of strange memories and emotions. Each item she reads she can actually taste. Each description is familiar to her. Some make her crave them, others she knows she would not like even though they would usually sound appealing. She is staring at the wall, puzzling over everything that is happening when a voice behind her speaks.

“You always loved the way the cook prepared the exohikon.”

Ash stiffens in her seat. “It was...lamb baked in a pastry shell...”

“Yes. I will say our cook was amazing. He would probably be a famous chef in this time.”

Ashlyn slowly turns around. She is not surprised to see the woman from (the woman of?) her dreams standing there. “In this time?”

Ali walks up to the table and gestures to the empty chair. “May I?” Ash just nods, unable to form words right now. “Your favorite meal was saganaki to start, followed by the exohikon, and for dessert a huge helping of galaktobiureko. It was a- -”

“A bread pudding type dessert drizzled in sweet honey syrup,” Ash finishes.

Ali smiles. “Yes.”

Ash slams her menu down. “And how the hell do I know that? I didn’t make it to the desserts yet in this menu! I haven’t even seen the lamb offerings! What the Tartarus is going on with me?” She frowns a second at the strange term she’d used. “I mean what the hell is going on with me?!”

Ali reaches over and places a hand on the younger woman’s. “Just enjoy your meal. I will explain everything when you’re done. I promise.”

The waitress comes over with the Greek fried cheese appetizer. She eyes Ali with jealousy.

“Oh, uh, you have a friend?”

Ali smiles at the woman. “She does. I’ll have an Ouzo, please. And she’ll have the exohikon as her main course.”

The woman sighs in resignation. “Of course. Be right back.”

As she walks away, Ali looks back at Ash. “Go on. Eat. That’s an order. This will all seem...better on a full stomach.”

Ashlyn wants to argue. Wants to demand answers. But instead she hears herself say, “Yes, Lochagos.”

Ali just smiles and enjoys watching Ashlyn rediscover her love of Greek specialties. When she takes her first bite of the lamb Ali sees Ash’s eyes glaze over, as if she has traveled to a place within herself yet so far away.

“Ashlyn? Are you okay?”  
 

* * *

 

_“Happy birthday, my love,” Ali says as she places the plate of food down in front of her lover._

_Ashlyn smiles up at the beauty. “I thought I was to serve you, Lochagos.”_

_Ali smiles and sits down in her lap. “I told you, in our home, I am Alexa. And being as it is your birthday,” she pulls off a piece of the lamb pastry and brings it to Ash’s lips, “I plan to serve you. In all ways.”_

_Ashlyn takes the offered food, making sure to swirl her tongue over the brunette’s digits. Ali moans at the sensation. She quickly pulls off another piece. She teases the taller woman once...twice...three times before Ash quickly darts forward and captures the food in her mouth. As she chews, Ashlyn pulls a piece and offers it to Ali._

_“I thought I was feeding you,” Ali notes._

_Ashlyn gives a smile full of lust. “You’ll need your strength later when you gift me with your body.”_

_Ali feels a rush of wet between her legs. She opens her mouth and fully engulfs Ash’s fingers. She sucks the food off, running her tongue sensually over both digits. She feels Ashlyn’s breathing change and knows dinner will be cold before they finish it. Ashlyn stands and steps to the side of the table, placing Ali upon it. She quickly divests the woman of her toga, running her hands over the toned body in worship._

_“You are the most beautiful woman I know,” Ash husks out as her mouth captures Ali’s in a passionate kiss._

_Ali wraps her legs around Ashlyn’s waist, pulling her close. She moans as her breasts are taken in two eager hands and rubbed until their nipples are hard, throbbing points. Ashlyn kisses down her lover’s neck until she reaches one of those heaving breasts. She teases her tongue around the tip once before suckling it, nipping it, flicking it with her tongue. Ali can only moan as Ashlyn kisses lower, spreading her lover’s legs wide. She looks up at the smoky eyes of her soul mate._

_“I love you, Alexa.”_

_She then plunges her tongue deep into the wet, pulsing center of her love._

_“OH! My Adra, yes! I love you, Adrasteia!”_  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn drops her fork and shoves her chair back from the table. Ali calmly finishes her Ouzo and pulls some money out of her pocket as the waitress walks over.

“Can we get her meal in a to-go box, please? And an order of galaktobiureko?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Within 5 minutes the women are walking out of the restaurant. Ash, still pale, has said nothing so far. Ali hails a cab and gives it the address of her hotel. The ride is silent as is the elevator up to Ali’s floor. When they get to the hotel room, Ali turns to her companion.

“Say the word and we part here. But if you come into this room I will tell you who I am and...and who you are to me. It will...not be easy for you to understand or reconcile with what you’ve always known. The choice is yours.”

Ashlyn stares into her eyes. Part of her wants to run. But the rest of her knows she needs answers. And...and her heart knows she can’t just walk away from this woman.

“I...I want to know,” she finally chooses.

Ali nods and lets them into the room. She places the food on the dresser and tosses her jacket on the small sofa. She turns to Ashlyn.

“In this world my name is Alexandra Krieger. Ali to those I let get close. But in a long ago time, in a time when we first met, my name was Alexa. I am the- -”

She gets no farther. Ashlyn grabs her and crashes their lips together. Centuries are wiped away as they fall into each other’s arms, their passion as strong now as it was over 2 millennia ago. Ashlyn pulls Ali’s shirt from her jeans and pulls it up. Ali lifts her arms and they break their kiss long enough to lose that garment. Her bra joins a moment later.

Ash breathes heavily as she studies the naked torso in front of her. She brings her hands to the pert breasts and starts to knead them, pinch them, roll them, listening to the way Ali’s breathing changes with each sensation. She steps back.

“Strip for me,” she orders.

Ali shivers. In their home, out of sight of the other warriors, it was always Alexa who served Adrasteia. Whether that order is more of the past returning to Ashlyn or simply the way she has always asserted herself matters not to Ali. She toes off the ankle boots she wears. Ashlyn’s eyes follow nimble fingers that go to the button of the black skinny jeans Ali wears. She watches those fingers pop the button open and slide the zipper down. She swallows in anticipation as those hands push the pants down, leaving nothing but black panties that match the lacy bra that had been discarded.

“All of it. Now,” Ashlyn orders, hardly recognizing her voice.

Ali smiles, knowing Ashlyn has no idea she just spoke ancient Greek. Any doubt that this was the right woman is gone. Ali slides the panties down and kicks them aside. Ashlyn slowly starts to pace around the muscular woman in front of her. In her mind she sees scars, wounds, things that don’t exist. Or rather, have disappeared with the sands of time. Ashlyn pulls off her shirt and sports bra in one go. She pulls Ali back against her, her hard nipples pressing into the woman’s back.

“How do I know what to do to you? How do I know how to make you scream?” she asks as she nips Ali’s neck and earlobe.

Ali’s knees barely hold her up. In fact she is sure if the strong woman didn’t have her she’d be on her knees. She shivers as she imagines what she could do from that vantage point.

“ANSWER ME!” Ashlyn demands.

“My name is Alexa, daughter of Athena. I have lived well beyond 2000 years. And for a time...the most wondrous time of my life...we were lovers. By day you were one of my temple guards and I was your captain. Your lochagos.” Ali is fighting to keep her thoughts straight as Ashlyn continues her assault on the shorter woman’s neck and ears. “But at night, in our home, it was you, Adrasteia, who captained me. You captured my heart and I gave my body to you willingly.” She turns her head to kiss her lover. When it ends, she stares into hazel eyes darkened by passion. “I have loved you all my life. And now...the Fates have brought us together once more.”

The practical side of Ashlyn wants to call “Bullshit” on this fantastical story. But she can’t deny the fact that everything that has been said rings true. She spins Ali around in her arms, the dream coming back to her.

“You murdered me,” she accuses.

“Yes,” Ali admits. “The temple was falling. Had you lived you would have been sold as a slave or...or worse. Mother could not save you because you were not an immortal. And I could not live knowing that those men might...might...I just couldn’t risk them capturing you. So...I killed you and handed your spirit off to Hades,” she confesses.

Ashlyn studies the woman in front of her. She sees the honesty and pain in the truth of the statement. She lifts Ali up and carries her over to the bed. She carefully lays her down and covers her body with her own.

“Then it looks like I have a lot of thanking you to do,” she says before kissing her once more.

As Ali arches up into the kiss she feels strong fingers plunge into her wet center. She screams against her love’s mouth. Ashlyn uses her hips to thrust harder, deeper, faster, knowing exactly what to do to drive Ali over the edge. The tongues tango, each trying to extract as much pleasure from the other as possible. Ashlyn suddenly pulls away. Her eyes bore into Ali.

“Mine.”

“Yes, Adrasteia, always yours.”

Ash slides down her body and thrusts her tongue deep into the writhing woman. Ali tangles her hands into the blonde mane on Ashlyn’s head. After a few minutes, Ashlyn moves her head to suck on Ali’s clit as two fingers start to plunder her center once more.

Ali’s head flips back and forth as her body rocks in time to the deep thrusts. As she nears the edge, Ashlyn looks up.

“Watch me, Alexa. Watch me drive you over,” she orders.

Ali lifts her head and locks eyes with Ashlyn. As the blonde’s mouth goes back to work on the sensitive nerve bundle the fire in her eyes serves to help drive Ali over the edge.

“YES! ADRA! YES!” Ali screams as she comes undone.

Ashlyn stands. Her center throbs in a way it never has before in this lifetime. She quickly sheds the rest of her clothes. As Ali lies panting on the bed, Ashlyn straddles her, lowering her center to Ali’s hungry mouth.

“Finish me, Alexa. Please,” she pleads, submissive for the first time since this dance began.

Within moments, Ashlyn is riding out the strongest orgasm she has ever felt. Her eyes actually see stars as she rolls off and lies beside her ancient lover. She lies panting at the ceiling. Ali carefully rolls onto her side and cuddles up against her. She studies the sculpted cheekbones a moment.

“Ashlyn? Are you okay?”

Ashlyn stares at the ceiling for a few minutes. “I...I don’t know. What the fuck is happening to me?” she asks, fear lacing her voice. “What the hell have you done to me?”


	6. Chapter 6

 

Ashlyn does not wait for Ali to answer. She leaps up and pulls on her clothes.

“Ashlyn, wait. Let’s talk about this,” Ali begs.

“NO! Stay away from me! Just...stay away!”

Ali wants to fight but knows she’s just dropped a heavy load on the poor woman’s shoulders. She walks over and takes a business card out of her wallet.

“When you want answers...if you want them...call me. Anytime,” she says as she offers the card.

Ashlyn pauses as she is yanking on a shoe. She stares at the card as if it is a rattlesnake ready to strike. Then, with a shaking hand, she takes it and shoves it in her shirt pocket. She finishes getting her shoes on and stands. She studies the woman in front of her. Her mouth opens a couple of times as if she might speak but nothing comes out. She starts towards the door.

“Ash?” The keeper pauses. “Would you like your food?”

Ash turns and looks at the bag holding the meal. She considers leaving it considering the strange flashback it had caused. But then, because of the strange flashback it caused, she takes it. Maybe...maybe she will learn more as she eats it.

“Thank you,” she mumbles as she walks out of the hotel room.

Ali watches her go. She wants to chase her down, convince her to stay. But in her heart of hearts, she knows she will see her again. She quickly showers, shuddering with joy as she cleans between her legs and feels her clit is still sensitive. Once out and dressed she packs up and makes her way back to DC. No need to stay for the final. Her game was already well on the way to being won.  
 

* * *

 

Whitney walks into the hotel room to find Ashlyn lying on the bed, iPod on. She breathes out a sigh of relief. She then feels a wave of frustration that her best friend had run away. She walks over and slaps the keeper’s right foot as hard as she can. Ashlyn is so startled she nearly falls off the bed. When she realizes where she is and who had hit her she visibly relaxes.

“Son of a bitch, Whit,” she gripes as she pulls off her headphones.

“Oh, no way! You do not get to bitch at me for that love tap when you ran away from us like you did.” She drops down on the bed. “What the hell is going on with you?”

Ashlyn just shrugs. Whitney studies her face carefully and notices the tracks of tears. She feels a pang of guilt.

“Damn, Ash,” she says gently and pulls her into a hug. “Talk to me. What’s going on?” She notices the empty take out bag on the dresser. “And since when did you eat Greek food?”

“Since about 2000 years ago,” Ashlyn mumbles.

Whit frowns, not sure she heard right. “What?”

Ashlyn sits a moment, drawing strength from her friend. “Do...you believe in reincarnation? Or past lives or anything?”

“I, uh, never really thought much about it. I mean, I’d like to think we get more than one go around to make things right,” Whit concedes. “Why are you asking?”

Ashlyn’s tears start once more. “I’m so fucking confused, Whit. I’m so...so fucking confused...”

“About what, honey?” Whit asks, pulling her closer.

“That woman. She...I found her. Or she found me.”

“And...” Whitney prompts when Ashlyn doesn’t say any more.

“When I left here I just walked and walked and I ended up at that Greek restaurant. I was looking at things on the menu and...and it was like I knew what everything was. There were even a couple things that I read the description and knew it was a modified recipe and not the real thing.” She takes a deep breath. “And suddenly she was there. She told me what my favorite meal was, you know, like the name of it. And I knew exactly what it was and I...I could taste it, Whit. I swear I could taste it!”

“Maybe you’d had it before?” Whitney suggests carefully.

“I had. Only...not recently. Not in...in this lifetime.”

“I...you mean...you lost me.”

Ashlyn takes a deep breath. “Please swear you won’t think I’m crazy. Please say you’ll still love me when I tell you everything.”

Whitney tightens the hug. “Nothing can drive me away, Ash. I’ll always be your biggest fan.”

Ashlyn smiles, hoping that doesn’t change in the next 5 minutes. She takes a deep breath and jumps off the edge of the cliff she feels she’s been balancing on.

“The woman’s name is Ali Krieger. But I knew her long ago when she was Alexa. She...she’s the daughter of Athena. And I...I was her lover...her mortal wife Adrasteia.”

Whitney’s eyes widen. She thinks her friend may have gone over the edge. But the more she talks the more Whitney believes the Floridian is truly invested in this story. Ashlyn finally gets the part that has her the most conflicted.

“You know...how the first time you sleep with someone you...you look for little tells, you study how their body reacts to you and to...things?” Ashlyn asks.

Whitney nods. “Sure. Of course. Oh, fuck, you slept with her?”

Ashlyn sighs. “I did. Sort of.” She pulls away, stands and starts to pace. “It was like...like watching a movie. Like a really good porno but still a movie.”

“Okay, gross,” Whitney grumbles.

“Seriously!” Ashlyn insists. “I knew everything she wanted me to do. I knew...I knew what I wanted her to do to me. In my mind I saw us making love after skirmishes; making love after picnics in the hills; making love after an argument. It was the most...most...surreal experience of my life, Whit!”

“I see. And after?”

“I lay staring at the ceiling and it was like...like I just came back into my mind. Like I had been tricked into sleeping with a stranger.” She takes a deep breath. “And I ran.”

“Honestly, I can see why. So what’s next? Will she continue to stalk you?” Whitney asks with concern.

Ashlyn shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.” She picks a card up off the dresser. “She gave me this. It has her numbers and stuff on it. She’s in D.C.”

“Freaky.”

“Yeah. If this is an elaborate stalking it is...is beyond anything I have ever heard of.”

“Do you think that’s what it is?”

“I did. But now...I’m not so sure.” She walks over to the bed and picks up her tablet computer. “After I showered. I just...kinda let myself remember things. I started Googling things. It was like...shit, I keep saying this, but it was like I was watching someone else do everything. I typed in names, places, events, things I have no recollection of studying. I found this. It’s a relief on a crumbling old temple in the hills of Greece. No one is even 100% sure who it was a temple honouring. Well, no one but me. It was a temple to Athena. It was...where I lived, worked and loved.”

Whitney had only halfway heard what Ashlyn said. She is staring at the crumbling wall painting depicting Ashlyn Harris in the armour and leathers of an ancient Greek warrior. Her image stands to the right of a woman with raven hair, also dressed in that uniform though with adornments that would mark her as a leader. She enlarges the picture a little.

“Holy shit! That’s the woman that ducked around us!”

Ashlyn stops pacing and turns to her friend. “What?”

“We ran out of the hotel to try to catch you and you...you were gone. Somehow you’d made it up the street and around the corner. Then this woman ducked around us and hurried up the street. I remember because I thought it was odd that she kept her head down. But I know that’s her!”

Ashlyn and Whitney stare at each other. Both of them know there was no way the keeper had sprinted up and around the corner faster than her four teammates could make it out the doors of the hotel.

“She did something. She...she hid me or something...”

Whitney shivers. “I...I guess so...” she says, her voice trailing off. She swallows and formulates a question carefully. “So, um, what does this mean?”

Ashlyn sits down on the edge of the dresser. “I...I don’t know much except...when I get back to D.C. I’m going to call her. I...Whit, I think I am meant to be with her. My mind kinda has some shit to work through but...but...I can’t explain it. My heart literally hurts not being with her. I feel more alive knowing she is in this world than I’ve ever felt before. Am I nuts?”

Whitney stands and walks over to pull her friend into a hug. “Certifiable...but that has nothing to do with this.” They both chuckle. “This is some pretty heavy shit, Ash, but I think you need to explore it a bit more. And in public, not private, just in case she’s a crazed stalker who’s brainwashed you or something.”

Ashlyn chuckles. “Is it crazy that the ‘crazed stalker’ angle seems less plausible to me than ‘ancient immortal lover’ does?”

“Again, it’s completely certifiable,” Whitney laughs. “But at the same time, I can see in your eyes this is not a whim and not...not a game. Do what’s right for you, my friend. And even if I’m not there physically, I’m just a Facetime away.”

Ashlyn smiles and pulls her bestie close. “I love you, Whit. I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.”

“Not even worth contemplating. Now, are you going to dinner or are you going to enjoy your Greek feast?”

Ashlyn walks over to the mini-fridge and pulls out the boxes that had been in the bag. “We can split it then go eat the team meal.”

Whitney laughs. “Yep, sounds like a plan.” She pulls off a piece of the now cold exohikon. She moans in appreciation as she tastes it. “That...is SOOOO good!”

“Yeah. It was my favorite meal. Uh, according to Alexa.”

“Well, I can tell why.”

The two polish off the meal and dig happily into the dessert. As they finish Whitney shakes her head.

“If Dawn ever finds out we just ate that she’ll have us running laps for hours to work it all off.”

“True. At least we skipped the Ouzo, right?”

“Right,” Whitney agrees with a grin. “Well, I want to shower before going downstairs.”

“Okay.”

As Whitney goes into the bathroom, Ashlyn stares down at the card on the dresser. She grabs her phone, opens up a text and types in Ali’s number.

_“You were right. I loved the galaktobiureko.”_

She smiles and hits send. She puts her phone down but it alerts to a response almost immediately.

_“I knew you would, my Adra.”_

Ashlyn just smiles, a warmth in her heart at the small term of affection.  
 

* * *

 

The team is making their way through the lobby to the vans for the morning practice session. Ashlyn’s dreams had been filled with images, perhaps memories, of life in ancient Greece. Awake, she replays them, amazed at the sense of peace they give her. As they pass the front desk, the man behind the counter calls out.

“Ms. Harris? Oh, Ms. Harris, something was left for you last night,” he holds up a single red rose with a florist’s card attached.

Ashlyn blushes as Pinoe and a few others start to catcall and tease her about a secret admirer. Whitney follows her to the desk, hoping to run interference if it is from the woman she suspects.

“Thanks, man,” Ashlyn mumbles and takes the flower. She pulls off the card and smiles as she reads it.

“Good luck against Costa Rica, my Adra. I am on my way back to DC and I hope you will call me when you get home. Love always, your lochagos.”

Ashlyn smiles as she tucks the card in her jacket pocket. She sniffs the flower then turns and makes her way to the front doors. Pinoe and the others stare at her in shock when they realize she isn’t going to say anything.

“WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!” Pinoe protests. “No way you get a single red rose and walk off without an explanation!”

“Yeah! Especially when you blush and get all goo-goo eyed!” Syd insists as they follow her out.

In the van the others continue to tease her but Ashlyn just remains silent. When they tire of the game, the others ignore Ashlyn and simply speculate who the keeper’s secret admirer could be. Once they are entertaining themselves, Whitney bumps her shoulder against her friends.

“What did the card say?”

Ashlyn looks at her in surprise. “Weren’t you reading over my shoulder?”

“Sort of. Ashlyn...it was written in Greek.”

Ashlyn’s eyes widen and she pulls the card out of her pocket. She studies it and sees Whitney is right. But suddenly the Greek is as easy for her to read as English. She tucks it away and looks at Whit in confusion.

“What the fuck?” she whispers.

“Let’s just say...I’m starting to lean towards believing in the whole past life phenomenon. And that love can last the ages,” she says with a kind smile.

Ashlyn ponders that a moment and smiles. “Yeah, I think I might be right there with you.”


	7. Chapter 7

Ashlyn had returned to DC a champion of the CONCACAF tournament. Costa Rica had posed no real threat to Hope so the number 1 had played the whole game. But Ashlyn was fine with that. Based on everything that had happened she knows, barring injury, she will be the official number 2 for the U.S. when they go to Canada the next summer.

Her first day back she naps and does laundry. The second day she goes to the grocery store knowing she’ll need food for a few days so she doesn’t have to keep ordering delivery. Oh and so she can follow the diet plan Dawn had given her. She would do her damnedest not to fuck up in any way to ensure she has a shot at the gold medal that has been eluding the U.S. since the famous win in 1999.

On her third day back she finds the business card Ali had given her in Philly.

“Alexa,” she whispers, closing her eyes and allowing the dreams (memories?) she had been experiencing wash over her.

She sits on her couch and pulls out her cell phone. After she had gotten the rose she had taken the time to actually save Ali to her contacts, not just leave her as “unknown” in her text messages. She scrolls down to the name she used in case Pinoe or Sydney had gotten her phone. She smiles and hits Lochagos.

“Hi,” Ali answers as the second ring starts. “I was beginning to think I had freaked you out too much.”

Ashlyn smiles. “Freak me out? Never.”

Ali chuckles. “There’s the cocky keeper I’ve read so much about.”

Ashlyn’s smile falters as she suddenly contemplates the “stalker” option in this whole crazy relationship. “You, um, have read about me?”

Ali can sense the sudden hesitancy. “Of course. I admit, Ashlyn, I have been following you for almost a year now. I first saw a news report on you with the Spirit last January. I was...I was speechless. But over my lifetime I have thought I’ve seen you before and...and I’ve been disappointed. I didn’t have the guts to approach you even with Mother encouraging me to try.”

“Mother? You mean...Athena?”

“Yes. By the way, her likeness on your arm is beautiful. She loves it.”

“Wow...um...thanks?”

Ali chuckles. “Why did you get it, Ashlyn? Why Athena? Why Zeus? What drew you to the ancient world?”

Ashlyn sighs and flops back on the couch. “I don’t really know. I knew I wanted to honour my father and suddenly the thought of Zeus and Athena popped into my head. It just seemed...right to help tell my story. The myths say the two had a stormy relationship and yet still had profound respect for each other. My relationship with my dad was complicated for a few years but I knew he always respected me. Using them on my arm just seemed the right way to tell my own story.”

Ali nods. “I believe it.” She sighs. “You’re really her, aren’t you?” she asks almost nervously.

Ashlyn bites her lip. “The card you left with the rose...it was in Greek. I read it and didn’t even realize it was in Greek until Whitney pointed it out.”

Ali smiles, her heart starting to beat faster. “I figured if you couldn’t read it you would Google it. But I knew if you could then...then my search for you would be over. And I could feel warm again.”

Ashlyn’s heart is pounding. “Are...are you saying...you haven’t seen me...uh, Adrasteia, since the day you killed her...um, me?”

“There were times I thought I’d see you. But either circumstances would keep us apart or I would track the woman down only to find out it was a trick of the eye.”

“Wow.” Ashlyn thinks a moment. “I’ve been having...dreams that I think are more like memories. When I wake up for a moment I am disappointed that they were just my imagination at work. But they aren’t fake are they? These things really happened.”

“Most likely, yes. I’ve awakened in you the memories buried in the very cells that make up your life.”

“That’s not all you’ve awakened in me. I feel...I feel a love for you I’ve never experienced before. It’s confusing and exhilarating and sad and...and so much more than I can express.” She takes a deep breath and plunges in. “I’d like to ask you out on a date.”

Ali grins. “A date? Like dinner and dancing?”

“Yeah, a date. I want to get to know you. Both of you, really. The you now and the you from back then.”

“That could be an intense date. Where would you take me?”

“My apartment. I can cook for you and we can talk.”

“That sounds perfect,” Ali agrees. “When?”

“What are you doing tonight?”

Ali giggles. “Straight and to the point. Not much has changed in 2000 years.”

Ashlyn smiles. “I’d like to think that I can show you a new thing or two, Alex.”

“I’m sure you can. What time?”

“6:30 or so?”

“I’ll be there. Anything I can bring?”

“Your appetite, answers to my questions...and maybe an overnight bag,” Ashlyn suggests.

“Done. Especially that third request.”

Ashlyn grins. “Perfect. I’ll text you my address. See you tonight, my lochagos.”

“See you then,” Ali agrees and disconnects.

Ashlyn runs a hand over her face. Her stomach contains a mass of butterflies. She had never been more nervous about a date in her life.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn glances at the clock as her doorbell rings. “6:25. Perfectly punctual, Alex,” she notes. She hurries to the door and smiles as she looks the peephole. She opens the door and her smile widens. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Ali replies as Ashlyn steps aside to let her in. “I know you said to bring nothing but I couldn’t resist,” she says handing a box to the keeper.

The blonde takes it and a sweet aroma reaches her nose. “Is that more galaktobiureko?”

“Of course. And this, too,” Ali says, pulling a bottle of Ouzo out of her purse. “Brought it back from my last trip home. I have been waiting for a special occasion to bring it out.”

“Perfect. So back home as in Greece?”

“Nah, Brooklyn.”

Ashlyn stops and turns back to the woman in surprise. Ali winks at her.

“Kidding! Yes, I mean Greece.”

Ashlyn chuckles and continues to lead her into the living room/dining room combo. “Smartass. So, dinner needs about 15 more minutes. Would you like a glass of Ouzo?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Ashlyn takes the bottle into the kitchen while Ali slowly walks around the living room. She studies the pictures of Ashlyn with friends, with family members, on the soccer field, on the beach. She looks at the two paintings on the wall. One is a beach scene, the other a coat of arms. She is confused by the contrast until she sees the signature. She turns as Ashlyn walks into the room.

“These paintings are beautiful. You are very talented.”

“Thanks,” Ash says, handing her a glass of the absinthe-like drink. “It relaxes me. The coat of arms was hanging in the castle I lived in when I played in Sweden. It just intrigued me for some reason. Still does.”

“I can see why. And I’ve read how the beach centers you.”

Ashlyn nods. “It does. I do my best thinking out in the water. I can sit out there for hours just letting nature clear my head, surfing a set here and there but mostly just thinking.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. You can see in your eyes that you are very in tune to the natural world,” Ali notes.

“Yeah, I guess I am.” Ashlyn thinks a moment. “Was I before? When I was...with you back then?”

Ali smiles as she thinks back. “You were never content to be still. And you couldn’t wait to trade pastoral living for the temple and the village. I’d dare say the side of you that enjoys that calm is long overdue.”

Ashlyn chuckles. “Took me a while to achieve that in this time line, too, Alex.”

Ali grins and steps closer. “Alex...I like that. It’s been many years since I let anyone call me that.”

“And yet you chose Alexandra as your name in this time?”

Ali shrugs. “First time I have chosen something so close to my given name since those days. Maybe...maybe in some way I knew that I was finally going to find you again.”

“Maybe.” Ashlyn offers up her glass. “Here’s to finding each other again.”

They clink glasses and take a sip. The taller woman then takes both glasses and sets them down. She had seen the darkening in the other woman’s eyes. She had felt the flutter in her own heart. One hand goes to Ali’s waist as the other lifts to gently cup her cheek. She slowly closes the distance between them and gently kisses willing lips. After a moment she pulls back and studies Ali. The brunette’s eyes are closed, her cheeks flushed. She is beautiful. Brown eyes flutter open.

“You are gorgeous, Alex.”

Ali smiles. “As are you, Ash.”

Ashlyn rubs her nose against Ali’s slowly then tilts their heads up enough to kiss her again. This time her tongue eases out, begging entrance which is quickly granted. Ali wraps her arms around Ashlyn’s torso and pulls her flush against her. The kiss deepens, becomes more desperate. Hands start to roam heated bodies.

And the oven timer goes off.

Ashlyn slowly pulls back, a loving smile on her face. “Let me feed you, Alex. You’ll need the sustenance for what I have planned later.”

“I believe it, my cocky keeper,” Ali replies breathlessly.

They retrieve their drinks and Ali goes to the dining room as Ashlyn brings out homemade meatloaf and mac & cheese. Ali grins.

“Why do I feel like this is comfort food from this lifetime for you?”

“Because you’re very smart. Oh, and you’ve been stalking me for almost a year,” Ashlyn teases.

The two chuckle and Ashlyn plates them both before sitting down. Ali breathes in deeply. “It smells wonderful.”

“Thank you. Not exactly on my ‘Dawn Ordered’ diet but, like you guessed, I needed a bit of comfort food.” She lifts her glass once more. “Stinygiasou.”

Ali raises her glass, too. “To your health, also. I’m impressed you remember Greek so well.”

Ashlyn blushes. “Googled that one.”

Ali laughs and the two settle in for a dinner filled with laughter, stories of Ashlyn’s youth and things that Ali had experienced since their time ended tragically a couple millennia before.  
 

* * *

 

Once dinner is done, the two move to the couch to talk some more. Ashlyn loves any story that makes Ali laugh. The way the woman’s nose crinkles and her whole face lights up make her even more beautiful. Ashlyn even makes herself the butt of a few stories to draw that laugh out once more. She has just finished once such story when both women sigh and lapse into a comfortable silence. They stare into each other’s eyes. Ali sees when the light dims a bit in her lover’s hazel orbs and she sighs.

“I guess now we need to have a deeper discussion than just past fun times, right?” she suggests.

Ashlyn slowly nods. “Yeah. I have...questions.”

“About?” Ali prods.

Ashlyn takes a deep breath and stares at the ceiling. “What this all means for me and my career. What you expect from me; from us as a couple. And most of all...what happens...I mean...I won’t age so...I mean...shit, I don’t know.”

Ali sets her glass on the coffee table and sits Indian style on the couch facing Ashlyn. “First of all, my only expectations of you and of us are what would normally happen as we progress in our relationship. I want to date you, court you, and see where things lead. I know you’re not completely my Adra. Your life has shaped differences regardless of the similarities between the two of you. Even if some of that past is awake within you there is still your own free will to meld with those memories. I am not here to force you to do anything you don’t want, Ashlyn. Okay?”

Ashlyn slowly nods. “Yeah, okay. Good...” her voice trails off.

“As to your career, your friends, your family, well, they need only know what you want them to know. Nothing has to change because of me and anything you want them to know or not know, I support 100%. Trying to explain who were are to each other and, even more, who I really am would not be easy.”

“Thank you. Whitney knows but...no one else. I...I kinda want to keep it that way. For now, at least.”

“Understood.” She takes a deep breath. “As to the question of us down the road...you’re right, I won’t die or age. But you will. There is no way around that.” She gets on her knees and crawls closer. “I will walk beside you for however long you want me.”

“But how do we explain to people that you...you aren’t...that I...fuck, Alex...” Ashlyn buries her head in frustration.

“How do we explain you aging and me staying the same?” Ashlyn nods. “Honestly, I don’t know. It’s never happened before.”

Ashlyn slowly looks up. “Because...because you killed me and anyone else you loved?”

“No. I mean, yes, I killed you. But with others...they weren’t you so I never stayed around long enough for the aging discrepancy to be an issue. And on occasions I’d get too well known and my secret risked being revealed, my death was faked and I’d hang out on Olympus a year or two mortal time before relocating somewhere else.”

“Mortal time?” Ashlyn asks, looking over at her in confusion.

“Time is different there,” Ali explains, not bothering to go into detail.

“I need more than that brush off,” Ashlyn insists. “I need to know what to expect if you go to visit my in-laws.”

Ali smiles. “In-laws? I like that. What I mean is it may seem to me like I am gone a day or two. Down here it can be months or years. I have no control over it.”

“So if you randomly disappear I shouldn’t notify the cops? I shouldn’t try to find you?” Ashlyn begins to get angry. “I’m supposed to just hang around hoping you show up eventually and dodge all the damn questions until you do? Bullshit!”

Ali studies her a moment. “Are you...looking for reasons to not pursue a relationship with me? Is that what these questions are about?”

Ashlyn stands and starts to pace. “I...I don’t know. Maybe. It just seems...like I got a shitload of ways to be hurt by this relationship and yet...yet I know that...that it would surely kill me if I didn’t give it a try.” She walks over and kneels down in front of the couch. “I’m scared to be with you...and terrified of being without you. If you walked out of my life tonight I feel like you would be taking a piece of my soul with you. A large piece. Things can get pretty fucked in the future but...but for now all I want to do is take you to my bedroom and rediscover all the places that drive you insane. And after you recover, find a few new ones.”

Ali smiles and leans forward, accepting the kiss Ashlyn offers. Ash grabs her legs and spins her around so she is sitting on the edge of the couch. The kiss deepens as strong hands run up the lithe body. When the need for air forces them apart, Ashlyn stares into cinnamon eyes.

“Make love to me, Alexa.”

“Always, my Adra. Always.”

Ashlyn lifts up the sweater-blouse Ali wears and discards it to the side. She gently runs her fingers down the straps of the red, lacy bra that hides the breasts the blonde covets. She smiles as she sees the nipples harden below the fabric.

“Front clasp. Very wise.”

With a practiced flick of her wrist, the bra is undone. Ash’s eyes never leave the pert breasts as her fingers guide the bra off and toss it with the sweater. She sees Ali’s breath increase as she leans down and captures the right nipple in her mouth.

“Ohhhh...Ashlyn...”

Ashlyn smiles as she hears the name Ali moans out. She’s not just lost in the past; she is also appreciating the blonde here and now. Ashlyn lightly traces her fingers up and down Ali’s strong arms as her mouth alternates teasing the heaving breasts of her lover. Ali is so lost in a fireworks display of sensations she hasn’t noticed one hand stop its path and move to the button her pants.

“Stand,” Ashlyn asks.

Ali is surprised that her slacks fall to the ground when she stands. Ashlyn slowly slides down the red lacy panties down, too. Ali sits back down as Ashlyn pulls off her shoes and discards all the clothing that had covered the demi-goddess’ body. Ashlyn lifts up Ali’s right foot and kisses along the top of it, her eyes locked with Ali’s. She trails her tongue up the strong calf as Ali moans, her hips starting to roll of their own accord. Ash nips her way up the thigh, the evidence of Ali’s excitement wetting the upper portion.

“Oh, yes, Ash...”

Ashlyn places one, chaste kiss on Ali’s clit...then lifts her left foot and starts the slow, careful path again.

“Fuck! You damn tease...” Ali grunts.

Ashlyn just smiles and continues the slow exploration. This time when she reaches the apex, she drags her tongue up Ali’s wet center.

“So good. So perfect,” she moans in appreciation.

She slides Ali to the edge of the couch and begins to feast. Her mouth and tongue have Ali thrashing as her body swims in marvelous sensation. For Ashlyn, the woman in front of her is like a drug. She can’t get enough and she knows she is addicted. No one has ever made her feel this way; no one else has ever responded to her in this way. Sooner than either woman want, Ali is screaming her way through an intense orgasm. Ash slowly kisses her way up her love’s body and pulls her into a breathy kiss.

“I love you so much and...and I hardly know you,” she whispers.

“I love you, too. And you know me more than you can remember,” Ali replies. “But there is one problem.”

Ashlyn eases back. “What? Did I hurt you? I was so...so out of my mind...”

Ali smiles and strokes her cheek. “You were perfect. But, Ashlyn, you are wearing too many clothes.” Ashlyn chuckles as Ali leans back on the couch. “Now strip.”

Ashlyn pushes herself to her feet. “As you wish, Lochagos.”

Ashlyn starts to slowly, sensually remove her clothes. Ali knows the extra movements, the teasing peeks are for her so she decides to give something to Ashlyn. The brunette starts to play with her breasts, smirking when she sees Ash’s eyes darken. One hand then travels lower, playing with her sensitive clit.

“It still pulses for you,” she says in a husky voice.

Ashlyn just moans and her fingers suddenly seem to struggle with her pants closures. Soon she is kicking out of her shoes, pants and socks. She starts towards the couch but Ali brings up a hand.

“Wait!” Ashlyn stops at attention. “Get the dessert I brought.”

“Dessert? Uh...I’m not really hungry for...”

“That’s an order” Ali reiterates in an authoritative voice.

It is ingrained into Ashlyn to obey the order and she hurries to the kitchen, grabs the box and brings it back. She finds Ali now standing beside the couch.

“Lay down.”

Ashlyn hands her the box and does as ordered. Ali straddles her waist, enjoying the hungry look in her lady’s eyes. She opens the box and pulls out the little cup of extra honey syrup. She sets the rest of the box down and opens the container. She dips a finger in and sucks it, moaning to let Ashlyn know how good it tastes. Ashlyn licks her lips.

“So good. Want a taste?” Ashlyn can nod. “Good.”

She dips her finger in and then places it in Ashlyn’s mouth, loving the way the woman licks her finger. When it is clean she dips her finger in once more.

“My turn to taste.”

She uses her finger to gently spread the honey on Ashlyn’s nipple. She leans down and sucks and licks the hardened nub until Ashlyn’s back is arching up. She then sits up.

“I’m going to paint your whole body with this honey and take my time licking every. Single. Drop. Up.”

Ashlyn’s hips pump up and she is shocked that she comes just from the suggestion. Ali smiles, proud of the hold she still has after all these years. True to her word, she spreads the honey on as much of Ashlyn as she can then spends over an hour licking and sucking it all off. The final place she cleans is the one Ashlyn needs her to service the most. Her clit has been throbbing, aching, tingling, ready to explode.

“So ready for me,” Ali states as she stares at it.

Ashlyn can’t even form words. She has screamed through 2 orgasms, moaned through a myriad of sensations, and now she is putty, just waiting for Ali to finally take her completely. Ali knows she has teased her enough. She draws the clit into her mouth, flicking it lightly with her tongue in time to her sucking. Ashlyn’s hips buck 5 times before she comes completely undone.

“Yes! Yes! YEEEEEEEEEEEES!”

Ali doesn’t stop her mouth until Ashlyn finally pushes her head away, wordlessly begging for a break. Ali climbs up her lover and lays down half on top of her. She runs her hand comfortingly up and down Ash’s toned abs. When Ashlyn finally gets her voice back she looks into Ali’s eyes.

“That was...wow...”

Ali giggles. “To say the least.”

“Next time...I paint you in Nutella.”

The two woman laugh and cuddle on the couch. They know they still need to figure out more about their future but for tonight, at least, everything is just perfect.


	8. Chapter 8

The next few weeks the women get to know each other better. They go out on real dates, they do touristy things (though Ashlyn notes to NEVER again take a Greek demi-goddess to the art museum if the featured exhibit is modern interpretation of Greek art), they discuss the flashes of memory that come to Ashlyn, and, of course, they have mind-blowing sex.

Interspersed in all their time together Ashlyn continues working with her personal trainer and the keeper coach for the Spirit knowing another important tournament is coming up in December. If all goes well, she may see some time between the sticks in Brazil where the competition will be a step up from their CONCACAF opponents. She has just finished a punishing workout at the gym when someone walks up behind her and runs a hand up her muscled back.

“Looking good, baby,” a sultry voice states.

Ashlyn stiffens and turns around. “Bridget? What are you doing here? I thought...I thought you were in Sweden still?”

The auburn-haired beauty shrugs. “I was. My agent arranged a meeting with a couple of NWSL teams since Tyreso didn’t make Champions League this year.”

Ashlyn gulps audibly. “NWSL teams? Uh, like...”

“Western New York, Chicago...and Washington,” she confirms with a gleam in her green eyes.

“Washington. Oh.”

Ashlyn is at a loss for words. During her time in Sweden she and Bridget Rooney had enjoyed a friends with benefits relationship. Truth be told, Ash knew it was more to the other woman than it was for her. To her it had been the best sex of her life...until now. And though she respected the other woman she didn’t love her and had no desire to rekindle their relationship, not even if Ali hadn’t been in the picture.

“You know, if I sign with the Spirit,” Bridget steps into Ashlyn’s space and draws a finger down the blonde’s chest, “we could pick up where we left off,” she suggests quietly.

Ashlyn would love to step back but the weight bench she had just been using is against the back of her legs. “Uh, well, I appreciate the thought but I’m in a relationship now.”

Bridget shrugs. “So?”

Ashlyn blushes as her eyebrows rise. “So? So that means I can’t just...you know...have sex with you and stuff,” she finishes in a whisper.

“Is she on the team?”

“Uh, team? No. She’s an antiques appraiser.”

“Then what is that American saying? Ah, yes, what happens on road trips stays on road trips,” the British beauty says and leans in for a kiss.

“WHOA!” Ashlyn nearly falls over the weight bench as she tries to get away. She puts her hands up in front of her. “Bridget, I’m sorry but I’m not like that. I won’t cheat on Ali. I love her.”

Bridget lifts an eyebrow. “Love? I thought Ashlyn Harris doesn’t do love.”

“The old Ashlyn didn’t. This Ashlyn does. I’m sorry.” She grabs her bag and shoves her towel into it. “It was good to see you again. Good luck with the teams this week.”

Ashlyn hurries to the locker room. Instead of changing and risking Bridget pushing for more, she just pulls on sweats, grabs her coat and bag, then hurries out of the gym. Once in the safety of her Jeep she sighs.

“Of all the gyms in all the world, she had to walk into mine,” she paraphrases.

Shaking her head she starts the car and heads home for a shower and to get ready for movie night with her girlfriend.  
 

* * *

 

“So she thought you and she could...on the road...and I wouldn’t know?” Ali confirms, one eyebrow up in murderous contemplation.

Ashlyn nods, trying to make it a joke but seeing she is failing miserably. “Yes.” She takes Ali’s hands. “I swear to you, Alex, even if she signs with my team nothing will happen with her. You’re all I want. She knew me when I was too scared to be in a relationship because I didn’t know where my career was taking me. It was...it was easy to just...have her for that release. I don’t want, nor do I need, that in my life anymore. I swear.”

Ali lets out a breath and her face relaxes. “I believe you. So she just approached you? That’s it?”

Ashlyn’s cheeks redden. “Uh...well...sort of.”

Ali’s eyebrow arches again. “What is ‘sort of’, Ashlyn?”

“Well...” Ashlyn rubs her neck nervously. “She might have sort of dragged a finger down my chest and, um, kinda tried to lean in for a kiss.”

“A KISS?!”

“SHE DIDN’T SUCCEED! I scrambled over the weight bench to get away from it,” Ashlyn quickly explains. She stares at the brunette a moment. “Are your eyes fucking glowing?”

Ali turns away quickly and looks into a mirror. Sure enough, the black of her iris has a subtle red glow. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Ashlyn had not allowed the woman to kiss her. The bitch is just an ex and Ashlyn put her in her place. There is no need to get this angry. Yet. Ali takes one more deep breath and turns back to Ashlyn.

“I’m sorry. To get that angry implies I don’t trust you. I should have- -”

“Were your eyes fucking glowing?” Ashlyn asks again. This time Ali sees the fear in her eyes.

Ali slowly nods. “Yes. It can happen when I feel my life threatened or when...when I get jealous and angry. Pretty much I have to control them or whenever I am extremely emotional the glow increases with the degree of my emotional upheaval, good or bad.”

Ashlyn takes a step back and it scares Ali. “What the fuck...?”

“Ashlyn, you know what I am. I’m not...completely like you,” she reminds the other woman. “I guess I should have told you about the eyes thing. I just never expected you to make me angry enough to see that change.”

Ashlyn crosses her arms across her chest almost protectively. “What...what else do you do that...that shows you are...not like me?”

Ali hates the tension in the room now more than she hated the tension as they discussed Bridget. She reaches for Ashlyn’s hand but the woman steps back again. Ali’s heart cracks a little. Fearing Ashlyn might ask her to leave, Ali sits down to make that request a little harder. The keeper remains standing.

“Well, let’s go over what we know,” Ali starts. “I’m immortal. A train could run me over and I’d be fine in a couple days. Small cuts and bruises heal nearly instantaneously. More severe wounds make take a few hours. I can jump down several stories and land with no problems. Did that in Philly that night to get off the roof of the stadium.”

“What the...you JUMPED off the roof of the soccer stadium? To the ground? And just...just...”

“Walked away, yes,” Ali confirms. She watches as Ashlyn starts to pace. “I have a mind for battle, thanks to my mother. I was a hell of a warrior for many centuries, even if I had to hide my sex sometimes to be taken seriously. Oh, and as you saw, my eyes glow when my emotions get too high. I think that’s it.”

She watches, her nervousness increasing as Ashlyn maintains her silent pacing. Suddenly the blonde turns to her.

“When I get nervous my hands get fidgety.”

“What?” Ali asks in confusion.

“When I’m scared, I try to hide it behind laughter. When I’m sad, I try even harder to hide it behind laughter. And I avoid making eye contact in hopes people won’t see through the charade.”

Ali thinks a second. “What are you talking about?”

Ashlyn walks over and kneels in front of Ali, taking her hands. “I mean, they’re not gifts due to divine intervention but I guess those are the weird quirks I was born with.”

Ali slowly grins. “Weird quirks?”

Ashlyn shrugs. “I’ve known what you are for a while now. It makes sense you should have some super-weird quirks considering your Mom is a super-awesome goddess. Who the hell am I told them against you?”

Ali giggles and pulls Ashlyn into a kiss. “Promise me if you need to know more about my ‘quirks’ you’ll ask.”

“I promise,” Ash vows with a smile. “Sorry I freaked a bit. That glow thing was...was...”

“Quirky?” Ali supplies with a smirk.

“I was thinking more ‘scary as hell’ but we can go with quirky,” Ash agrees with a chuckle.

“Good answer. So, what are we watching tonight?”

Ashlyn pops up and grabs the remote controls. “Since it’s my night to pick, ‘Bend it Like Beckham’.”

“Seriously?”

The taller woman plops down on the couch and pulls her lover close. “Seriously. I never joke about The Becks.”

Ali chuckles and kisses Ashlyn’s chin as the movie starts to play.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn groans as she reads the email from Mark Parsons welcoming Bridget Rooney to the Washington Spirit, effective the end of January when her contract with Tyreso expires. The official announcement to the world would be made the next day. Ashlyn picks up her phone and texts Ali.

_“Spirit signed my ex. Is there any way for me to borrow your glowing eyes to scare her off if she tries something?”_

Knowing Ali was appraising a local politician’s collection of antique bone china she wasn’t expecting an answer to come back so quickly.

_“Lol. I’ll ask Mother but I’m not sure even she could make that happen. Love you.”_

Ashlyn smiles and replies back with, _“Drats. Guess I’ll just have to stop showering so my smell will keep her at bay.”_

_“If you stop showering, she can have you! :-)”_

Ashlyn laughs out loud. _“Noted. Love you.”_

Ashlyn tosses her phone down and gets her things together to go for her workout with the Spirit keeper coach.  
 

* * *

 

That night finds Ashlyn drawing circles with her finger on Ali’s naked back. She smiles as she watches the goosebumps rising in the wake of her movement. She then leans down and kisses Ali’s shoulder.

“Come with me to Florida for Thanksgiving.”

Ali’s eyes pop open. She rolls to her side. “Really?”

“Really,” a dimpled smile replies. “I want you to see where I grew up and meet my family and just spend time with you before I head off to camp.”

Ali groans. “Camp. I forgot you have camp right after Thanksgiving.”

“Yep. Then the tourney in Brazil. Then I’ll be home a couple weeks before camp again in January, pre-season for the Spirit, then another camp and some friendlies in Europe, then the Algarve, then...shit...”

Ashlyn rolls onto her back and throws her arm over her eyes. Ali just stares at her a moment. This last month had been bliss for them. Ali’s job, which she didn’t really need, was at her discretion so she’d only taken a few appointments. Ashlyn’s schedule was basically at her choosing as long as she stayed game ready. This had allowed them so much time together they were spoiled. Now with the craziness of the 2015 Women’s World Cup looming they were forced to admit lazy days and nights of making love would turn into penciled in dates when they might get to see each other again interspersed with phone calls and Skype dates.

Ali cuddles closer and kisses Ashlyn’s chin. “Okay.”

Ashlyn lifts her arm off her eyes. “Okay?”

Ali smiles. “Okay I’ll go to Florida with you.”

Ash smiles and pulls Ali up on top of her. “I love you, Alexa.”

“And I love you, my Adra.”


	9. Chapter 9

“Damn, sis, she’s HOT! What the hell is she doing with you?” Chris Harris teases his little sister.

She elbows him in the ribs. “Watch it, Bubba. Most women would think her taste is impeccable since she chose me.”

He laughs and hugs her close. “I wish I could dispute that but, well, you do seem to attract all sorts of hotties.”

Ashlyn grins smugly. “Damn right I do. But between you and me?” He nods. “I’m done playing the field. I am pretty sure I’ve found the one.”

Chris’ jaw drops. “Are you serious?”

Ashlyn nods. “Yeah, I am. I mean, I’m not ready to propose right now but can honestly say I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else.” She studies the woman speaking with her mother. “It’s like...I’ve known her forever,” she says softly.

“Wow. I’ve never seen you so...so taken with a woman. I mean, not that you’re a player or something but most of your girlfriends are ones I knew wouldn’t last. But she’s really got her hooks in you, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah, she does. I love her, Chris, with every fiber of my being.”

He smiles and pulls her into a hug. “I’m happy for you, Ash. But as your big brother I better make sure she’s good enough for you.”

“She is, Bubba, trust me.”

“Sorry, have to do my brotherly duty.” He pushes her onto the couch and hurries over to Ali before Ash his sister can recover. “So, Ali, what are your intentions with my baby sister?” he asks.

“CHRIS! I’m gonna kill you!”

Ali and Tammye Harris laugh as he bolts out of the house, the blonde right on his heels. Ali looks at their mother.

“They always like this?”

“Worse,” Tammye confirms.

Ali giggles, her nose crinkling adorably. “Good to know. So, what can I help with?”

“Well, our part of the food is done. Their grandmother is making her famous mac & cheese.”

“Great! Ashlyn has told me so much about it I can’t wait.”

“Her cousin is coming and bringing stuff. We’ll fry the turkey tomorrow so I think we’re set.”

“What about desserts? I make a mean chocolate pie,” Ali offers.

“Well, I think a couple of desserts are coming but I doubt anyone will turn down chocolate pie. Let’s see if we have what you need.”

The women go into the kitchen to see what, if anything, needs to be picked up from the store.

And outside the Harris twins get into a water fight reminiscent of when they were children. Some people never completely grow up.  
 

* * *

 

Carlin pulls her cousin aside the next day. “Ali is GREAT!”

Ashlyn smiles. “Thanks. I kinda think so, too,” she jokes.

“Her profession is so different than yours. How did you two meet?”

Ashlyn blushes. “Uh, well, she was a fan.”

Carlin’s face registers shock. “Like a soccer fan?”

Ashlyn chuckles. “Yeah. And, no, she wasn’t a stalker,” she insists, though she often teases Ali that she was in fact just that. “But we met after a game and just clicked. Granted, it helps she understands the game and the demands on me for travel but that’s not the only thing we talk about or have in common.”

“That’s good. As your unofficial heart guardian I’ll have to confirm for myself that she’s not a stalker just using you.”

Ashlyn laughs and wraps an arm around her shoulder. “I’d expect nothing less, Cuz. I’d expect nothing less.”

Further talk stops as Ash hears Ali scream, followed by shouts for help from Chris and his friend, Pete, who are manning the turkey fryer. Ash races outside and sees Ali grasping her hand.

“WHAT THE FUCK, CHRIS?”

Chris wraps Ali up in his strong arms. “Pete’s dog raced by and knocked into Ali’s knees. She fell and her hand hit the fryer. Some oil spilled over onto her.”

Ashlyn carefully takes her girlfriend from her brother. The women share a concerned look. They are not worried about Ali healing...they are worried about her healing too quickly for explanation.

“I’ll drive y’all to the hospital,” Carlin offers, going towards the house for her purse and keys.

“NO!” Ali and Ash shout at the same time.

“I mean...I’m sure it will be okay,” Ali insists.

“Yeah, let me take a look and we’ll just...see,” Ash insists, hurrying them inside.

Tammye and Carlin are both surprised when Ash closes the bathroom door on them. “Uh, honey, we can help.”

“Nope. Got it, Mom. Promise,” Ash states.

Ashlyn finally eases her girlfriend’s burnt hand into the open. She had seen small cuts disappear almost as quickly as they were made when Ali got a paper cut or nicked her hand cutting vegetables. But this is by far the worst injury she had seen. The third degree oil burn on the back of the hand is about 3 inches around; covering nearly the whole back of the hand. Her palm and fingertips, which hit the metal fryer, vary between second and third degree. As the women watch, the second degree burns start to fade. Ashlyn looks up at Ali.

“We...we can’t let them see you are fine,” she hisses.

“I know. Look, bandage my hand. The bad burn will take a few hours to heal anyway. Help me with dinner and stuff. I won’t use it. After it heals I can fake the injury until we leave Saturday, okay?” Ali suggests.

Ashlyn slowly nods. It could work. She lifts the injured appendage and places a gentle kiss on the unburned knuckles.

“I don’t care how long it lasts, I hate that you are hurting. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now, fix me up, Dr. Harris.”

Ashlyn smiles and opens the medicine cabinet. She sees the assortment of bandages available and chuckles. “Good to see Mom keeps this as stocked now as she did when Chris and I were kids.”

They get the hand wrapped, agreeing to say only Ali’s palm had hit the metal since there was no way to hide the fact that her fingertips were already healed. As she secures the last bit of tape, Ashlyn kisses the wrap and sighs, her eyes troubled.

“What’s wrong?” Ali asks, knowing this isn’t about the burn.

Ashlyn meets her eyes. “I’m having to lie to them. I hate that. Every time they check on you or offer to help you I’ll be reminded of the lie. I guess...I have to get used to that if we are going to stay together.”

Ali just nods, her heart clenching at the word “if” that Ashlyn had used. “I’m sorry.”

Ashlyn just nods. “Let’s go let them know you’ll be okay.”

Ali follows her girlfriend out, hating the slight shift in their relationship this injury has caused.  
 

* * *

 

That night, after a wonderful dinner and a lot of fun with Ashlyn’s family, the women go for a walk on the beach. Ashlyn inhales deeply, loving the smell of the sea. Ali just watches her, loving how peaceful the blonde looks. They hold hands, enjoying a comfortable silence. Ashlyn suddenly sits down and pulls Ali down between her legs. The brunette smiles and settles her back against the blonde’s broad chest. After a few minutes, Ali asks the question burning in her mind.

“Are we okay? I mean, after the whole burn and lie thing?”

Ashlyn hugs her closer and kisses her cheek. “We’re okay. I love you, Alex. All couples have things they have to learn to accept when they are together. This is one of those things.”

“Ash, this is more than accepting that I sleep on the left side of the bed or that you snore. This is lies that will have to be told to protect my secret.”

“I get that, Al. I swear I do. I’m not being flippant just...realistic. The lies I have to tell are a lot easier to stomach than trying to explain the truth. It’s just something I hadn’t thought about until today.” She pauses. “And I do NOT snore!”

Ali giggles, her nose crinkling adorably. “Trust me, baby, you snore. Always have. There were times I thought Cerberus had decided to visit us.”

Ashlyn rolls the woman over, pinning Ali to the sand. “That is SO not true! If, and it’s a BIG ‘if’, I did snore, they would be cute, little delicate ones.”

Ali shakes her head. “Sorry, baby, but there is nothing little or delicate about you or your snores.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really.”

Ashlyn pins Ali’s arms with her legs. “Take it back or else.”

“Or else what?” Ali challenges.

“Or else THIS!”

Ashlyn starts to tickle Ali mercilessly. Ali squirms and tries to get away as she laughs uncontrollably. As she rolls her shirt slides up and suddenly Ash is tickling bare skin instead of through the shirt. Her hand slows as it feels the warmth of her lover’s body. Her breathing changes. Ali looks up, her eyes darkening. Her laugh dies down as Ash’s hand slides upwards, caressing over a breast with an already hard nipple.

“Please, Ash...fuck me,” Ali begs breathlessly.

Ash leans down and kisses her deeply. She braces herself with her right hand as her left hand slides from Ali’s breasts down to her waistband.

“You want me to fuck you here. In the open. When anyone could come upon us,” Ashlyn confirms.

“Yes,” Ali agrees.

“That’s awful kinky, Alex. Are you really a bad, kinky girl?” Her hand starts to slip below the band.

“Yes.”

“Tell me, Alex. Tell me you’re my bad, kinky girl,” Ashlyn orders.

Alex’s hips are thrusting up but Ash uses her weight to pin her down, refusing to give her what she wants until she is begging for it.

“Tell me,” she orders again.

“I’m...oh, fuck...I’m your bad, kinky girl,” Ali gasps as her center rubs against Ash’s firm thigh.

“What does my bad, kinky girl want? Beg me for it, Alex.”

“Please, my Adra, please fuck me where someone might find us. I am your bad, kinky girl and I need you to fuck me right here. Please, Adra.”

Ashlyn slides her hand the rest of the way in. As she finds Ali’s throbbing pearl she crashes their lips together, swallowing Ali’s cry of pleasure. Using her hips to increase her power, she thrusts her fingers in deep, the heel of her palm rubbing that hard clit. Her mouth moves to Ali’s ear as the woman moans with each thrust.

“Is this what you need, my lochagos?”

“Ye- -yes.”

“Come for me, Alex. Come for me and me alone,” Ashlyn commands as she thrusts harder and deeper.

As she feels the brunette about to go over the edge, she captures her mouth once more. The kiss muffles the scream as Ali comes completely undone. Ash is so close to the edge herself she quickly sits up. Ali watches lustfully as Ash slides her hand out of Ali’s pants and into her own. With just a few quick strokes Ashlyn explodes, collapsing down onto the woman below her.

They lie in the sand, fighting to catch their breath. After a few minutes, Ash nuzzles Ali’s ear.

“That...was a first.”

Ali looks at her in surprise. “Seriously? My surfer girl never had sex on the beach before?”

Ashlyn smiles and shakes her head. “No. Was always terrified someone would catch me.” She lifts a hand and eases a lock of hair out of Ali’s face. “You were worth the risk. I love you so much.”

Ali tilts her head and kisses the palm on her cheek. “I love you, too.”

They kiss a little more before finally getting up and making their way back to the Harris home. Thankfully no one is up to ask why the women are walking a little funny.


	10. Chapter 10

Before they know it, their trip to Florida is over. Ashlyn spends Sunday washing any clothes she wants to take to camp and then Brazil. Monday morning Ali drives her lover to the airport.

“Promise to call me when you get there.”

“I will,” Ashlyn vows. “And you’ve got the schedule Coach sent so you know when I’ll be available to Skype. If anything changes I’ll let you know.”

Ali nods. “Deal. And I’ll watch the game highlights online as soon as they are posted.”

“Good girlfriend,” Ashlyn praises.

Ali giggles and kisses her. “Have fun. And win.”

“Done and done.” She pulls Ali close. “I love you, Alex.”

“I love you, too.”

They share another kiss and Ashlyn reluctantly pulls away, grabs all her bags and hurries into the terminal. Ali watches her until a cop tells her to move on from the drop off. With a sad sigh, Ali goes to her car. It will be a few days until her flight to Brazil (which Ashlyn doesn’t know about) will leave. Until then it is going to be very hard not seeing her lover in person every day. But the surprise will be well worth the wait.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn lets out a string of curses under her breath. She digs her face into the ground as she tries to convince herself that what just happened didn’t really happen. The goalkeeper coach and Hope Solo both race to her side.

“What’s going on, Ash?” Hope asks gently.

Ash just grunts and sits up holding her hand. “Pretty sure...” she grunts again, “...I broke my pinky. Badly.”

“Fuck,” the coach mutters.

He helps Ashlyn up and nods for Hope to switch off with Alyssa in goal. The two make their way to the trainers who cut the glove from Ash’s hand. Jill Ellis walks over to see what is going on with her number 2 keeper.

“Busted pinky,” the trainer confirms.

Jill winces as she looks at it. “Gee, couldn’t tell. How bad?”

“I’ve had worse,” Ash responds.

Jill just rolls her eyes. “Typical keeper response.”

Ashlyn just smiles. A quick trip to the hospital confirms it is a break to her right pinky. The tourney is over before it starts for her but she can at least keep doing light drills with the team. In her mind she is wondering what she will need to do to ensure she makes the World Cup roster. Surgery may be an option if it gets her back playing sooner rather than later. Calls are made and the consultation set up for December 26.

* * *

For the next couple of days she does footwork drills, bike, and anything that does not involve her right hand. She is frustrated but knows Jill and the other coaches need to see her desire to do what she has to do to remain on the team. She’s worked too hard, come too far, to lose her chance now.

On the day before their first game against China, the team is walking into their hotel. Ashlyn is joking around with Whitney and HAO when a voice calls out across the lobby.

“Oh my goddess! Is that THE Ashlyn Harris?”

Ashlyn spins around in surprise as her team looks at the beautiful brunette who hollered. Before they can confirm who it is, Ashlyn has the woman in her arms and spins her around. A deep, passionate kiss draws catcalls and wolf whistles from her teammates but the keeper doesn’t care. When the kiss ends, she only has eyes for Ali.

“What...what are...why...”

Ali chuckles. “Such language skills. Had the ticket so I could surprise you. Almost cancelled when you told me about your hand but, well, figured you might need some TLC in person.” She lifts Ashlyn’s right hand and gives it a kiss. “Better?”

Ashlyn smiles. “Much.”

“Oh, Ashy-Ash! You going to introduce us or what?” Pinoe calls out.

Ashlyn turns to find the whole team, including coaches and trainers grinning at her. She blushes and looks at Ali, who just smirks and shrugs. Ashlyn turns back, an evil glint in her eyes.

“No idea who she is. Just love treating my fans nicely.”

The team laughs as Ali slaps Ashlyn on the arm. Ash uses her left hand to take Ali’s right and lead her over to the team.

“Ali Krieger, this is the US Women’s National Team. Team, this is Ali Krieger,” she turns to Ali. “The love of my life.”

There are some “Awwws” and a few groans at those words. But none can deny the honesty in Ashlyn’s eyes as she says them. Christie Rampone steps forward and offers her hand.

“I’m Christie. Or you may hear me called Piercy. Welcome to the extended dysfunctional family that is our team.”

Ali giggles, her nose doing that crinkle thing that drives Ashlyn nuts, and shakes the captain’s hand. “Thank you. Good to meet you.”

Everyone slowly introduces themselves to Ali. Whitney purposely waits until last. Ash sees the look in her eyes and sighs. Only Whitney knows the full story of Ali and she can tell her best friend is not planning to let Ali get away with just a handshake. The blonde decides to intervene.

“Ali, this last one here is my best friend and number one protector Whitney. She has a standard contract she likes to go over with all the women I date to make sure they are worthy of the humble brilliance that is yours truly.” The teammates still around groan as Ali rolls her eyes. “So, how about the three of us grab a cup of coffee somewhere we can talk?”

Ali nods. “Sounds good to me. That okay with you, Whitney?”

Whitney nods. “Definitely.”

The three grab a cup of coffee in the hotel restaurant and go outside to the patio area, which is currently deserted. Ali takes a sip and sets her cup down.

“So,” she says with a smile, “why do I feel like you’re not happy to see me here.”

“I have no problem with you being in Brazil. I have a problem with you being with Ashlyn,” Whitney clarifies.

Ashlyn sits forward frowning. “Hey, Whit, ease up.”

Ali puts a hand on her arm. “It’s okay, Ash. Her concern is justified and I love that she watches out for you. We all should be so lucky to have a best friend so considerate.” She turns to Whitney. “I understand why you’re upset about me being with Ash.”

“Oh really? You do? You mean you know about how you fucked with her head so badly she thought she was losing her mind? Do you know I was the one that held her when she broke down? Do you know I’m the one she calls when things get too hard for her to deal with? Things like finding out you’re supposedly immortal or that she has to lie to her family about you to keep your secret? And how the hell do we prove you’re immortal anyway and not some clownie fan or something?”

Ashlyn is ready to explode she is so mad. Ali makes her sit back. “Don’t say something to Whit you’ll regret, Ash. She is looking out for you and there’s nothing wrong with that.” She turns back to Whitney while keeping a wary eye on the irate keeper. “Yes, I know how various revelations fucked with her. I’ve been there for more than a few. I thank you for being someone she can trust, and thereby being someone I can trust, with this secret. I know she can continue to count on you no matter what the future holds. I’ve only ever had one person like that in my life,” she turns to Ashlyn, “and I lost her long ago. My only hope is that I have her once again.” She turns back to Whitney. “As to whether I am immortal or not, there are a few ways to prove it. This should be the easiest.”

Ali digs into her pocket and pulls out a small pocketknife and opens the largest blade. She hands it to Whitney who checks to see that it is real then hands it back. Ali takes the blade and draws it across the back of her hand. Barely a drop of blood has time to leak from her skin before it is sealing itself back up.

“Whoa...” Whitney whispers.

“You can plunge it into my heart and pull it out if you like. Though if that’s what you want to do can we go to my room so I can lay down? That takes a while to heal.”

Whitney stares at her a moment then reaches for the knife. Ali hands it to her. Whitney studies it carefully and looks back to Ali’s hand. She lays the knife on the table and sits back in her chair.

“So...any chance Adonis is immortal and if so can you arrange a meet up?” She grins and winks at Ali.

Ashlyn bursts out laughing as Ali just grins. “Sorry, he wasn’t. And he was actually more an ideal than a real person.” She takes the knife and puts it away. “So, are we good?”

Whitney nods. “Ashlyn loves you and she doesn’t give her heart up to just anyone. But as her bestie I had to make sure you were worthy of that trust. You keep her happy and we are good. But hurt her and know I will track you to the ends of the earth pushing needles into you faster than you can heal.”

Ali laughs and entwines her fingers with Ashlyn’s. “Understood.”  
 

* * *

 

“Sorry, Doc, that’s not possible. I don’t have 2 or 3 months. I have 1 month,” Ashlyn insists. “There’s got to be a better way.”

The man shrugs. “I’m afraid not, Ms. Harris. I can’t magically make your finger better sooner.”

Ashlyn’s eyes scrunch closed as her heart threatens to explode. NO! She did not come this far, fight through so much, to lose it all to a damn broken pinky finger. She opens her eyes.

“I want a second opinion,” she demands.

The doctor sighs. “Won’t do you any good.”

“Fuck that! I want one!”

The doctor rolls his eyes and walks out of the room. Ali goes to speak but Ashlyn just lifts a hand to stop her. Ali stands in the corner, rubbing the amulet she wears to honour her mother and wishing for a way to help her beloved. A few minutes later another doctor walks in. Ali’s eyes widen when she sees the short man. He just winks at her.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Telesphorus. I hear you’d like a second opinion on a break?” he says.

Ashlyn opens her eyes and points at the x-rays. “I don’t have 2 or 3 months. I have 1 month. Please, please tell me there is a way!” she begs.

The man walks over and studies the x-rays carefully. Finally he nods and turns back to her.

“Minimally invasive surgery. Should have you back playing by the third week of January.”

Ashlyn sits up, her eyes wide with astonishment. “Are...are you serious?”

He nods, smiling. “Very much so.”

“How soon?”

“How’s tomorrow at 7 a.m. sound?”

Ashlyn smiles. “Sounds like you are my freakin’ hero, Doc!”

He nods and walks out. Ali smiles as Ashlyn collapses back on the bed. The brunette then follows the man out into the hall.

“Uh, Doctor, wait a second.” He pauses so she can catch up. “What the hell are you doing here?” Ali whispers.

The demi-god Telesphorus, son of Asclepius smiles. “Your mother sends her regards. She is happy you’ve found your Adrasteia once more. She said to consider this your Christmas gift.”

Ali smiles and pulls him into a hug. “Thank you. And thank Mother for me, too, even though she doesn’t celebrate Christmas.”

He nods and walks on as Ali hurries back into the room to see Ashlyn getting her things ready to go.

“What was that about?” Ashlyn asks.

“Just wanted to make sure he wasn’t a quack or something,” Ali answers with a grin. She pulls the taller woman into a hug. “I kinda like what that right hand does to me and I’d hate for him to ruin it forever.”

Ashlyn gives her a quick peck on the lips. “Smart woman.”

A little while later they are leaving the hospital with the directions on prepping for the next morning’s surgery.  
 

* * *

 

Three weeks later Ashlyn is doing a happy dance out of the hospital, her release to resume training in her hand. A copy had already been sent to Jill and US Soccer but Ashlyn wanted a hard copy for herself. Her World Cup dream was still alive. Ali just watches, a proud smile on her face.

“I’m so happy for you, baby.”

“I am, too!” Ashlyn admits as she grabs her girlfriend and starts to ballroom dance with her. “Best Day EVER!”

Ali laughs. She knows her adorable blonde often dubs a day as the best ever. It is part of her bubbling, positive personality. Ali knows she will have to do something special for her mother to thank her for this wonderful gift.

Time to pack for camp and Europe!


	11. Chapter 11

“Ash, wake up.” Ashlyn groans. “Seriously, dude, wake up. It’s serious!” Tobin insists shaking her again.

Ashlyn rolls over and glares at the clock. “My alarm goes off in 3 minutes. This couldn’t wait?”

“No. Team meeting. It’s an emergency thing,” Tobin explains.

Ashlyn sees the concern in Tobin’s eyes and sits up. “What’s going on?”

“Not sure. Word is, well, it’s just rumour, that Hope is getting sent home.”

Ashlyn swings her feet around and stands. “What? What the fuck? That assault case? I thought it was dismissed or something.”

“No, something new. Jill wants us all in the conference room ASAP.”

Ashlyn nods and starts to get dressed. What had happened? What does it mean for the team? What does it mean for Hope? What does it mean...for Ashlyn? As she finishes getting dressed she looks at Tobin.

“I...I didn’t want a start at her expense, you know?”

Tobin nods. “I know, dude. Everyone knows.”

The next 15 minutes are a blur. Hope suspended. Her husband arrested for DUI. Players told not to speak to the media about any of it. As the announcement ends, Jill asks to speak to the keepers alone. Ashlyn, Nicole and Alyssa exchange a look and wait for the others to leave. Jill sits down with them.

“There are going to be stipulations in Hope’s suspension that she needs to meet to be welcomed back to the team. I know you all are friends with Hope but I need you all to put aside any feelings you have about all this for the good of the team. The field players will be looking to you 3 to step between the posts and lead and I know you will make us proud. As we get closer to the games in Europe I’ll be deciding who starts those games. Do you have any questions for me?” The 3 keepers shake their heads. Jill smiles. “Okay. If at any time you do, my door is open. Thank you, ladies.”

Jill leaves, knowing the keepers would need a moment to themselves. Barnie looks at the others. “I think I picked the wrong week to stop smoking,” she jokes, quoting the old movie “Airplane”, which the team had watched the night before.

Ashlyn chuckles, nervously massaging her pinky. “Yeah.” She takes a deep breath. “Hope has been the biggest supporter of the 3 of us; pushing us to get better; encouraging us when we’ve had a rough day. Let’s do her right by keeping the team moving towards the World Cup in a positive manner. Let’s hand her back a better team in 30 days than she left it.”

The other two nod at that sentiment. Yes there is always competition to be number 1. But there is also a camaraderie amongst keepers that trumps that.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn steps into the coach’s room and sees Jill standing there with her assistant coach Tony Gustavsson. Ashlyn’s stomach is in knots. Maybe they thought that pinky was a liability. Maybe they thought her knees could give out. Maybe they didn’t like her tattoos. So many times she had come into these meetings and left with devastating news: not getting a start, dismissed from camp, not needed that cycle, etc.

“Have as seat, Ash,” Jill says gesturing to a chair as she and Tony sit down across from it.

Ashlyn nods, her mouth Saharan dry.

“How’s the hand?” Jill asks.

Ashlyn fights to work some spit into the mouth. “Fi- -” She coughs as her voice cracks. “Fine,” she tries again.

“Good, good. You’ve been looking great out there, Ash. The backline has been responding well to you. We want you to start both the France and England games.”

Ashlyn’s eyes widen. One game she would understand but both?

“We need this team to start gelling together. We can’t make a lot of changes to the defense and expect to be crisp in June when the tournament kicks off,” Jill explains. “As the team stands, you are our number 1.”

“But...what about Hope?” Ashlyn asks.

“When Hope returns, she can compete to get her spot back. The team is yours, Ashlyn, and that’s all you need to worry about.” She stands and offers her hand. “Congratulations.”

Ashlyn stands, smiling. “Thanks, Coach.” She shakes Jill’s and Tony’s hands and feels like she’s floating as she walks out of the room.

When she gets to her hotel room she is glad to see Tobin isn’t there. She flops on the bed and screams for joy into her pillow. She then rolls over and stares at the ceiling as she grabs her phone.

“I GET BOTH STARTS!” she screams when the other end is picked up.

“Seriously?!” Ali screams in happiness.

“Seriously! God, Ali, I’m so...so...I mean, Hope is my friend but Jill basically said if I don’t fuck up the team is mine if Hope doesn’t come back!”

“Wow! Oh, Ashlyn, I am so, so happy for you! Oh, I wish I could be there to hug you right now!”

“Me, too. But you’ll be in France right? And England?”

“Damn right I will be. I am so fucking happy for you. I love you so much!”

“I love you, too. I can’t wait to see you. Oh, God, how am I going to act calm and cool tonight at dinner?”

“I think you’re entitled to be a little uncool over this,” Ali replies with a smile.

“I guess so. I’ve worked for this for so long, Ali. So damn long.”

“I know, baby. Your hard work is paying off. I am so proud of you.”  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn stares out at the night sky. The giddiness in her stomach at the start of the game has turned into disappointment and disgust at the 2-0 loss. She should have stayed off social media and all the assholes saying that Hope would have never let those goals in. She should have ignored those stating that she doesn’t have the experience to be the starter. She should have ignored them all.

But she didn’t.

So now she stands on the top of the hotel in France staring out at the night sky. No guests aren’t supposed to be there but Ash had never been good at completely toeing the line. This is why she is surprised when someone suddenly appears beside her.

“You know, there is a pretty hot brunette down in the conference room looking for you,” Whitney says.

Ashlyn just shrugs. Whitney sighs.

“How much did you read, Ash?”

“Enough to know I suck,” she grunts.

“You do not fucking suck, Ashlyn. That first goal was world class and that second was a fucking fluke. Hope couldn’t have stopped those any more than you could have.” She peers at her friends face, watching the trail of silent tears roll down her face. “Come here.”

Whitney pulls her into a hug and lets her cry it out. She knows in her heart that Ashlyn will get past the game, past the armchair coaches, past the judgmental asses, and be ready for the next game. She just has to process it all. There is more pressure on Ashlyn than ever and more eyes watching to see if she’ll succeed or fail as Hope’s replacement.

“You can’t read that shit, Ash. Had Hope missed those goals the same people would have been saying you should have been in rather than her. You’ve seen that time after time. But you know how the game goes, Ash, and the truth is that ball has to get past 10 other players to get to you. Not to mention, you can’t score for us and there are 10 other players that can do that. When you see the highlights you will see so many missed chances for us to put points on the board. You can’t do it all and you can’t take this loss all on your shoulders. You know that, Ash. You know that.”

Ashlyn cries a little longer then takes a deep breath. She steps back and lets her best friend wipe the tears from her cheeks.

“You’re the best, Whit.”

Whitney smiles. “Back atcha. Now, you ready to go join the rest of the team and our supporters, especially a certain demi-goddess?”

Ashlyn smiles. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

Whitney wraps her arm around Ashlyn’s shoulder and escorts her to the team conference room. In addition to the team, family members, friends and even US players on teams in France are all gathered there to get over the game. As Ashlyn walks into the room, Pinoe sees her and starts to clap.

“Great game, Ash!”

Ashlyn at first thinks she’s being an ass then everyone joins in. She blushes and looks at Whitney.

“Did you arrange this?”

Whitney smiles. “Nope. This is all them, buddy.”

Ashlyn looks back and just waves. Her smile broadens as the one person whose opinion matters most steps through the crowd and walks up to her. Whitney steps away as Ali pulls Ashlyn into a hug.

“You were amazing tonight, baby. I am so proud of you.”

Ashlyn sighs, breathing in the smells that mean love to her. “Thank you, my lochagos. Your opinion above all others means the most to me.”

Ali smiles. “I love you, my Adra.”

“I love you, too, Alexa.”  
 

* * *

 

“CLEAN SHEET, BABY!” Ali screams, leaping into Ashlyn’s arms.

Ashlyn holds her close. Sure England snuck one in but that off sides call erased it. And all that matters is the final score. Ashlyn finally sets her lover down and stares into sparkling chocolate eyes.

“I’d never have done this, never been here, without you and Whitney. I owe you both so much.” She kisses her then draws her tongue along Ali’s lower lip. “And you can believe the personal thanks you’ll be getting will be nothing like Whitney gets,” she whispers suggestively.

Ali smiles and kisses her again. “I’ll hold you to that, stud.”

Ashlyn smiles and allows her teammates to drag her away from Ali to the locker room so they can hear a few words from Jill then get ready to go back to the hotel for the night. Ash slings her arm around Whitney’s shoulder.

“Thanks, Whit. For everything.”

Whitney smiles. “Always, Ash. Always.”

As she is about to leave the locker room for the bus, Ashlyn’s phone rings. Her eyebrows lift when she sees who it is. She steps into the hallway and away from others as she answers.

“Hey. How you doing?”

“I’m good. Hell of a game there, Harris,” Hope says casually.

“Thanks. There were a few miscues but I’m happy,” Ashlyn notes.

“You should be. Great game against France, too. Forget the assholes with keyboards: no way I can say I’d have stopped those 2 goals. You’ve earned your spot on the team, Ash. Don’t listen to the naysayers.”

Ash leans against the wall. “Someone tell you I had my doubts.”

“They didn’t need to. Ash, I followed Brianna Scurry, hero of the 1999 shootout, remember?” she says with a chuckle. “And let’s face it, I didn’t handle it very well when she’d start over me or people would write that she was better than me. You and I play a very different style. Don’t try to be me. Just be the best damn you possible and you’ll bring home the Cup with or without me.”

“Thanks for saying that,” Ashlyn says with a smile. “I really hope it’s with you, though. Seriously, are you okay? Can I...do anything for you?”

Hope signs and thinks a minute. “I’ve got demons I’ve ignored so long and now I’m being forced to face them. Honestly, it’s long overdue. I think...I think if I make it back I’ll actually be happier than I’ve ever been and hopefully that means a better teammate and keeper.”

“That’s awesome, Hope. Anything you need, day or night, I’m just a phone call away.”

“Thanks, Ash. So, enough with me. Go celebrate with the team and that hot brunette you’re dating.”

Ashlyn grins. “She is pretty hot, isn’t she.”

“Hot? She’s a freaking goddess!” Hope exclaims.

Ashlyn laughs and nods. “You have no idea. Take care, Hope. I’ve got your back.”

“And I’ve got yours. See ya, Ash.”

Ashlyn hangs up and makes her way to the mouth of the tunnel. She gives Ali a hug and kiss, telling her she’ll meet her at the hotel.  
 

* * *

 

After spending an appropriate amount of time celebrating the win with the team, Ashlyn and Ali sneak off to the brunette’s hotel room to continue the party in private. Once inside the room Ashlyn gives her lover the type of kiss she had been wanting to since the final whistle. She presses Ali against the wall, inserting a leg between the shorter woman’s and crushing their bodies together. Both women feel the rush of wet between their legs. After a minute, Ali eases Ashlyn back.

“Strip and lay down for me. I have a surprise for you.”

“I don’t need a surprise,” Ash states, nipping Ali’s lower lip. “I just need you.”

Ali licks up to Ashlyn’s ear. “Trust me, baby,” she whispers before nipping her earlobe, making the blonde moan.

“Yes, my lochagos,” Ashlyn concedes.

Ali goes into the bathroom as the blonde breaks speed records getting undressed. She lies on the cool sheets, her body burning with anticipation. She sees the bathroom light click off and runs her tongue over her lips. A moment later Ali walks out in a barely-there red lace cami set. Ashlyn’s clit throbs. Ali’s hands are behind her back but Ash only has eyes for the sculpted body of her girlfriend. Ali lets the blonde run a hand up one leg.

“Ali...that’s...that’s...wow...you are so fucking beautiful.”

Ali takes the hand off her leg and slowly sucks on each finger. Ashlyn’s eyes flutter closed and a moment later snap open as Ali cuffs that wrist to the bedpost.

“What the hell...”

Ali quickly grabs the keeper’s other hand and secures that one with the leather cuff that had been carefully hidden earlier. Ali sees the pert nipples get hard as Ashlyn’s breathing gets heavier. Ali straddles her lover, her wet center warm against Ash’s stomach.

“You are always in charge on the field and usually in our bed, my Adra. Tonight...tonight I take control of you.”

“I’ve always been under your control, my lochagos,” Ashlyn husks out.

“And tonight you come undone,” Ali says as she pulls a blindfold from under the pillow and slides it over Ash’s eyes.

“Oh, fuck...” Ash mumbles.

“That’s the plan,” Ali agrees.

An hour later, Ashlyn does indeed come undone as Ali drives her into a third orgasm.

“Please...please, Alexa, please let me touch you. I need to touch you,” Ashlyn begs as her body trembles with aftershocks.

Ali removes her lover’s blindfold and stares into dark hazel eyes. “Still like what you see?”

Ashlyn’s eyes rake over the cami set. “No. It covers too much of you.”

Ali grins. “Good answer.”

She leans forward and undoes the cuffs. She squeals as Ashlyn’s strong arms grab her and immediately flip her onto her back. Ash settles between her legs, thrusting against her lover’s wet core. She grabs the lingerie top and rips it open, her mouth hungrily latching onto a hard nipple. Ali groans and arches her back into the contact, writhing as her other breast is squeezed and pinched and teased by one of Ashlyn’s powerful hands. Her other hand travels lower and rips the panties from Ali. Before Ali can even react, two fingers plunge in deeply.

“OH! OH! OH, ASH!”

Ashlyn lifts her head, her eyes feral with her desire. “I love you.”

Her mouth captures Ali’s as her hips help drive her hands faster and deeper, pushing Ali over into an orgasm faster than she’s ever had one before. When the kiss ends, Ashlyn stares into dark brown orbs and grins when she sees a slight glow within them. That fire burns for her and her alone. She slides down Ali’s body and takes her still pulsing clit in her mouth. Her hands and mouth work Ali up and into yet another fast orgasm. She then crawls up, seeing the flames burn brighter.

“Those were to take the edge off. Now...now I take my time worshipping my goddess,” Ashlyn says as she kisses Ali deeply, passionately but not roughly.

Ali’s body trembles as the keeper switches from the rough and fast attack of earlier to a calmer, slower, exploration of the tanned woman below her.

“Oh, Ashlyn...”

For over an hour, kisses and gentle nips pepper Ali’s body. Hands caress and massage her in ways they never have before. When Ashlyn finally enters her again with her fingers she thrusts slowly but deeply. As Ali nears the precipice once more, Ash lifts her head from the breast she had been lavishing with attention. She sees the fires burning steady in Ali’s eyes. Burning brightly for her; burning for the love the women share.

“I love you, Alexa.”

“I love you, too, Ashlyn.”

“Marry me,” Ashlyn says, her eyes full of sincerity and love.

Ali’s eyes widen as she smiles. “Yes, oh, yes! Yes, I will marry you.”

Ashlyn kisses Ali deeply and Ali plunges into an orgasm again...this time as an engaged woman.


	12. Chapter 12

“Alexa, are you sure about this?”

“What’s there to be sure about, Mother? I love her. I’ve loved her for centuries and now she loves me, too,” Ali points out as she flips through a bridal magazine.

“Does she really? Or is her mind so mixed up with reawakened memories that she doesn’t really know what she feels?” Athena presses.

Ali slaps the magazine closed and glares at her mother. “It’s love now, Mother. Yes, there is some residual from before but it’s more than that.” She thinks a second. “The first time we made love a few months ago it was Adrasteia and Alexa. But when we make love now it is Ashlyn and Ali. Yes, we sometimes still use the ancient names but more as...as just a little thing between us. They are pet names but they are also signs of our devotion to each other; a devotion we’ve had for over 2,000 years.”

“Have you stopped to think what marrying her, even just being with her, does to your time here?”

Ali stares at her mother a moment. “What...what do you mean?”

“She’s a public figure which means you’ll be a public figure. People will delve into your life in a way they never have before and when the questions become too hard...well...you know.”

The magazine falls from Ali’s hands. “I...I hadn’t thought of that.” She thinks a second then shakes her head. “I can’t walk away from her, Mother. Maybe we’ll only have a short time together but I’d rather have that than nothing. And once I am...gone...her mind will pretty much...forget me,” her voice chokes off at the end. “I’ll just be another ex-girlfriend in her past.”

“No, you’ll be her ex-wife,” Athena points out.

Ali looks up at her mother. “But only...if we make it that far...”

“A marriage is harder to hide, Alexa. Make sure you are ready for all that would entail. You’d be gone longer than ever before while it is cleansed.”

“Fuck...I can’t...there has to be...there has to be a way, Mother.”

“A way to what, Alexa?”

Ali stands and takes the hands of the goddess of wisdom. “A way to make Ashlyn immortal, too. There were ways in the ancient world, there have to be ways now.”

“Alexa...you’re asking her to give up her family, friends, her career. That’s not fair to her; not when she is at her peak. You’ve never been selfish, Alexa. Don’t start now. Think about this before you proceed with that,” she says, pointing at the magazine.

The goddess disappears. Ali walks out onto the balcony of her penthouse. She stands in the gently falling snow, trying to figure out what is the right next step for her and Ashlyn. Maybe...maybe she and Adrasteia are not meant to be together no matter what the century.  
 

* * *

 

“So, nervous yet?” Whitney asked.

Ashlyn shrugs as she changes out of her practice kit. “I know the backline is a bit raw but with you back there to help anchor it and Jo-Jo settling in I think we’ll be fine, even with us taking off for the World Cup in a couple of months.”

Whitney rolls her eyes. “Should have known you’d be all business.”

Ashlyn glances at her. “What does that mean?”

“I was asking about the wedding, you goof,” Whitney grins.

Ashlyn blushes. “Ah, that. Nope, not nervous. I want to spend my life with her. Best decision I ever made. And she is going to handle most of the planning since I’ve got so much happening with training and stuff.”

“Cool. Um, so...have you thought about...down the road?” she asks carefully.

“What do you mean?”

Whitney rolls her eyes. “I mean the fact that in, say, 30 years you’ll be almost 60 with a 30 year old wife still.”

Ashlyn pauses from putting her clothes away. “Oh. I...hadn’t thought of that.”

“Didn’t think so. Look, Ash, you are the most loyal, most loving person I know. And that has led to your heart getting hurt on more than one occasion. I get that you love her and I am so happy for you about that. But you need to sit down with her and discuss the future so you’re not hurt some day. You don’t deserve that,” Whitney says with concern.

Ashlyn nods as she finishes tucking away her clothes and zips up her bag. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just...I’ve never felt this way before, Whit. It’s like...like...shit, I have no words for it. She is my past and my future in so many ways.” She turns and sits down on the bench. “It’s like she’s always been part of my life. Like...like breathing. Without breathing I can’t live. She’s that important to my life.”

“Then you need to have that talk with her, Ash. And know any time you need me, I’m just a call away.”

Ashlyn gives her a sad smile. “I know. Thanks, bestie.”

Whitney chuckles at the nickname. “No problem, bestie.”

Ashlyn stands and they walk out together.  
 

* * *

 

Neither Ashlyn nor Ali address the elephant in their relationship.


	13. Chapter 13

Spring flies by faster than Ashlyn could have imagined. NWSL and Washington Spirit practices, games and appearances. The reinstatement of Hope Solo to the USWNT team and the questions the press (suddenly her biggest supporters) had for Ashlyn about her loss of the number 1 position. And craziest of all is her new Spirit midfielder, Bridget Rooney, is cut at the last second by England’s WNT meaning Ashlyn is stuck dodging her advances until the keeper reports to residency in May.

“Nice practice,” Bridget says, giving Ashlyn a pat on the butt in the locker room.

Normally that sort of everyday show between teammates wouldn’t be a big deal. But Ashlyn’s ass is bare as she has just gotten out of the shower. She yelps at the contact and nearly jumps into her locker. Crystal Dunn and Joanna Lohman bust out laughing. Ashlyn forces herself to laugh but Whitney sees the anger flare in her eyes. Bridget gives Ashlyn a sly look.

“So jumpy, keeper. Is my touch that...exhilarating for you?”

Crystal and Jo-Jo laugh again, not realizing the history between the players. Whitney, who had advised against the relationship back in Sweden is not laughing. She shares a look with Ashlyn. The keeper quickly dresses and heads out. She is nearly to her car when she realizes she is searching in vain for her car keys. They are still hanging on a hook in her locker.

“Son of a bitch,” she grumbles as she turns and goes back in.

She walks in as most of the rest of the team walk out. Whitney lifts an eyebrow.

“Keys,” Ashlyn mumbles in explanation.

“She’s still showering,” Whitney whispers in warning.

“Just grabbing my keys and getting the hell out. Promise.”

Whitney nods and goes on out. Ashlyn goes to her locker and reaches for her keys.

“What the fuck...”

The keys aren’t there. She drops down, searching the bottom of the locker. She feels along the top. Nothing. Ashlyn pulls off her snapback and runs a hand through her hair. Where had she last seen them?

“Looking for these?”

She spins around to see a naked Bridget standing near the locker room door. She dangles Ashlyn’s keys off one finger. Ashlyn sneers.

“Yes. Toss them here.”

Bridget smiles cruelly. “Why should I do that?”

“Look, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing here but give me my damn keys, Bridget. I don’t feel like playing.”

“But I do. One kiss, Ashlyn, and the keys are yours.”

“The keys are already mine. Hand them over, Bridget. Now,” she says, anger lacing her voice.

Bridget tucks them behind her back. “No,” she taunts.

Ashlyn rubs her face. To take them back she’d have to touch the naked woman and who knows what that will lead the Brit to do. Ashlyn pulls out her phone and presses a number.

“Hey, you still around, Coach?” She listens. “Good. Can you come back to the locker room a second? I’ve got an issue with another player that needs to be addressed.” She nods. “Right. Thanks.” She hangs up and looks at Bridget. “That was Mark. So you can either hand over my keys and make yourself scarce or keep this shit up and help me show Mark why your pathetic ass needs to be traded for team cohesion. Your call but since no other NWSL team wanted you it might make it hard for you to continue your career in the U.S.”

Bridget’s eyes widen. “How the hell do you know no one else wants me?”

Ashlyn smiles cruelly. “You think my friends on other teams didn’t tell me about you washing out with them? Hell, Mark only took you on this team to have a warm body to come off the bench when so many of us leave to participate in the World Cup. I mean, seriously, do you really think you’d be here if we didn’t have so many world class athletes on this team? We need third string fill-ins.”

Bridget is furious. She draws her arm back and throws Ashlyn’s keys with all the force she has. Ashlyn wisely ducks rather than try to catch them and injure her hands. She picks them up and pushes past Bridget.

“Grow up,” she tells the other woman and leaves the locker room.

She runs into Whitney in the hallway. “All good? What needs to be addressed?”

Ashlyn grins. “Nothing any more. I hope.” She tells what happened in the locker room. “So come on, ‘Mark’, I think I owe you dinner for that assist.”

Whitney busts out laughing. “That’s cruel. And as long as she doesn’t bring up your supposed conversation with Mark to Mark you should be in the clear with her.”

“I hope so. I’m not going to risk her doing something and hurting Ali in the process.”

“Well, whenever you need a hand, I’m here for you.”

Ashlyn smiles. “Thanks, Whit.”  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn is finishing up making dinner for herself, Whitney and Ali as her girlfriend stares in disbelief.

“How old is she that she is pulling such a childish stunt?” Ali asks. “I mean, I know she’ll be a hell of a lot younger than me no matter what but is she old enough to take a beating?”

Whitney grins. “Definitely old enough but as hard as her head is you’d probably shatter your hand.”

Ali chuckles. “Would be worth the healing hours,” she states.

“Well, let’s just hope my threat was enough,” Ashlyn says. “Truth is, as more international players come available after Canada I half expect the Spirit to release her to pick up some better talent. She’s not the player she could be mostly because her attitude sucks.”

“Yeah, even at Tyreso she had trouble taking any sort of criticism and hated when the coaches singled her out as needing to improve some skill. She could be so much better, and would probably be prepping for Canada, if her ego didn’t screw her over.”

Ashlyn nods. “Definitely. She’s no Carli Lloyd, that’s for sure.”

Whitney smiles. “Thankfully Carli’s a one of a kind and she’s ours.”

“Damn right,” Ashlyn agrees with a laugh.

“So, Ali, you going to be a groupie for us in Canada?” Whitney asks.

“Of course. No place I’d rather be for a month than watching you all chase your dream all the way to Vancouver.”

Ashlyn puts the finished chicken casserole on the table and gestures to her guests to take a seat. “I’ve never had a groupie before.”

Whitney spits the water she had just sipped and chokes as she laughs. “Oh BULLSHIT!” Ashlyn looks at her in confusion. “Emily Pendergrass.”

Ashlyn blushes bright red and Ali chuckles and looks at Whitney. “Oh, please tell me about this groupie.”

“Whitney, I beg you...please no.”

“Whitney, I beg you...please yes,” Ali echoes.

Whitney shakes her head at her best friend. “Sorry, Ash, this is too good not to share.”

Ashlyn groans and drops into her chair. “You’re not nice.”

Whitney turns to Ali as Ashlyn doles out dinner to each woman.

“So, Ashlyn is a senior at UNC and well known around Chapel Hill. And to be honest, she wasn’t a playgirl or something. She was known as being very nice and incredibly funny.”

“Both still accurate,” Ashlyn points out.

“True,” Whitney agrees. “Anyway, there’s a freshman at UNC who somehow saw Ash and developed a HUGE crush on her. She was at all our practices and games. Every day she made sure to go to Ash and tell her how well she played. It was like she had an eidetic memory for every play Ashlyn made.”

“She could probably tell you how much water I swallowed during breaks,” Ashlyn notes with a wry grin.

“Imagine if she’d followed you into the bathroom. Oh, the information she may have discovered,” Ali teases.

“Ewww!” Ashlyn groans.

Whitney nods. “She’d have probably lost her mind if she’d gotten that intimate. Anyway, this girl is around so much that she even starts showing up outside of classes and the dining hall. I mean, we’re talking Grade A stalker!”

“How’d you get her to leave you alone?” Ali asks with a smile.

“I did something wild and crazy: I graduated.”

Ali’s eyes widen. “Are you serious?”

“Yep. She offered to follow me wherever my career took me so I told her I was going to play in Japan.”

“You lie!”

“Nope. When she found out I was going to the Flash I told her it was part of an elaborate trade agreement. I even started walking around with a Japanese-English dictionary.”

“Seriously?” Ali looks at Whitney.

“Seriously,” Whitney confirms. “Of course, when Ash found out that several of the players had been egging Emily on she got pretty mad.”

“They weren’t fair to her. But, truthfully, their lies about me or not, I think she would have been just as bad. Hopefully she found someone else to chase the next year.”

Ali takes Ashlyn’s hand. “Well, at least you were kind to her. Many people, especially athletes, would have been cruel.”

Ashlyn shrugs. “She was young and lonely. We’ve all been there at some point. Still feel bad I lied to her but there was no way I could let her drop out to follow me around.”

“Yeah, Ash was as kind to her as she could be. Really it was an example of why I always say Ash is the best person I know,” Whitney concludes. “Now, if you want to know about some of her relationships...we’ll need to dine without her,” she jokes with an exaggerated wink to Ali.

Ali laughs as Ashlyn shakes her head. “NO! NOPE! NO WAY! Not gonna happen! You two aren’t allow to play together without me. That’s a new rule.”

“We’ll see,” Ali says with a conspiratorial smile at Whit.

Ashlyn moans. “Remind me again why I let you two get together?”  
 

* * *

 

The next day Ash arrives in the locker room to find Crystal and couple others staring at the lockers quietly.

“Hey, guys, what’s up?”

“Uh, Ash...it’s um...” Crystal starts but she looks incredibly uncomfortable.

“What?” Ashlyn steps closer and now can see beyond them to the locker. Or more to the point: her locker. “What the fuck?”

It has been pried open, most likely with the crowbar on the ground in front of it. The clean practice jerseys that were in there have been torn to shreds. Her custom Nike keeper’s gloves have been cut to pieces. Pictures taped to the inside have been slashed and ripped. Her shampoo and body wash have been poured, sprayed and spread over everything. Her deodorant has be used like chalk to write a single word on the bent door: BITCH.

“What...who...what...”

Crystal places a hand on her shoulder. “Tiff went to get Mark and security.”

“Any other damage?” Ashlyn asks.

“Nope, just your locker,” Meg answers.

Ashlyn studies it all then thinks back to the incident the day before. Her jaw clenches. She knows who the last person in the locker room was after practice. She turns, fire in her eyes (though not like Ali’s fire eyes).

“Anyone seen Bridget?”

Crystal frowns. “Rooney? Not yet.”

Just then Mark and Tiffany return to the locker room. His eyes widen when he sees the vandalism.

“Damn. Made an enemy, Ashlyn?”

“Yes. And she’s on the damn team!”

“The team? Our team?” Mark confirms in surprise.

“Yes. Seen Bridget today? She was the last one here last night because I left her ass in here after she pulled some shit with my Jeep keys. We have a history she can’t seem to let go of and- -”

Just then the player in question enters the room. Ashlyn leaps past the coach and grabs her.

“WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO IT?!”

Bridget is shocked by the fury in Ashlyn’s eyes. “Do what?”

“You broke into my locker and fucked my shit up since I wouldn’t fuck you! Admit it!”

Bridget looks beyond the furious keeper to those gathered around. “I...I don’t know what she’s talking about. I swear.”

Mark grabs Ashlyn by the shoulder. “Ease up, Harris. We don’t know what happened. I’ll have the police called. Could be a stalker or a fan of some other player. We’ll have to see what they find.” He glances at Bridget. “And should we find a player or any member of this organization is responsible, the punishment will be severe and could include prosecution.”

Ashlyn eases her grip on Bridget and steps back. “Hope you look good in prison orange.”

“It wasn’t me, you shit,” the woman protests.

“Right. Excuse me, I need to see what gear I have to work with today,” Ashlyn says and walks out to check her bag and Jeep for any gear that could help her get through practice.

Mark Parsons steps up to Bridget. “One chance: did you do this?”

Bridget stares at the ground. “No.”

“If the police determine otherwise, you’ll never play professionally again. I’ll see to that,” he vows.

To Ashlyn’s ire, no prints or other evidence of the perpetrator is found. But the cocky attitude Bridget develops after that is announced tells Ashlyn that her first instinct is correct. She no longer leaves anything behind in her locker and knows Bridget gets a sick satisfaction watching her carry all her gear in and out every day lest more get destroyed. By this time, everyone has seen the Brit is a poison slowly destroying the team. They have a real chance to make a run for the NWSL shield that year so Mark decides to act early and calls her into a meeting a week later.

“WHAT?! But...but you just signed me!” Bridget protests.

Mark shrugs. “It’s a professional decision. You’re not clicking with the team and with the number of our players I lose for a month I can’t afford to have someone causing problems. You’re released immediately with no restrictions. Any team can pick you up. Best of luck.”

Bridget storms out. She runs smack into Ashlyn and Whitney in the hallway. “This isn’t over!”

She pushes past them. The Tar Heels exchange a look of confusion.

“What the hell was that about?”

“No clue,” Ashlyn answers. She pokes her head into the office. “Mark? What’s up with Bridget?”

“We’ve released her. She’s not helping with team cohesion,” he answers.

Ashlyn smiles. “You rock, Mark.”

He grins. “Just don’t make me regret it. She’s pretty good at middie.”

“But her attitude sucked,” Whitney points out. “This is best for the team because it will ease tension.”

“Let’s hope so,” he agrees.  
 

* * *

 

The Spirit always expect a tough game versus Sky Blue. The match on April 26 was going to be no exception for 2 reasons: 1) it was the last game the members of the USWNT will play for their clubs before going into residency in preparation for the World Cup and the 3 sendoff matches. And 2) Sky Blue had picked up Bridget Rooney to shore up their midfield while Christie Rampone and Kelley O’Hara were repping the U.S. and other players were repping their countries in Canada.

More than once Spirit captain Tori Huster had yelled at the referee when a tackle by their former teammate had skirted the line of legality. Rampone had even seen the issue and called for Rooney to keep her head in the game. Now with a 3-1 lead, the Spirit had subbed out Whitney, to make sure she isn’t injured before the World Cup and Parsons is considering subbing out Ashlyn for the same reason.

He waits too long to decide.

O’Hara intercepts the ball at midfield and plays a give-and-go with Nadia Nadim and streaks down the sideline with the ball, looking for the perfect moment to cross. She finally sends the ball but Jo Lohman get a toe out and deflects it just enough to disrupt the pass. Ashlyn races out of her box and slides, quickly pulling the ball in and holding it to kill a few seconds. She senses most players leaving the box and starts to stand.

And then she sees stars.

Whitney and the rest of her team had watched in horror as Bridget put on a burst of speed and raced at their keeper. Instinct more than anything made Ashlyn pull her head away a little as the middie’s foot connects with her temple. Ashlyn is flipped backwards, the ball flying out of her arms over the endline, and then she lies motionless.

Tori Huster and Megan Oyster get to her first, followed by a horrified Kelley O’Hara. Crystal Dunn and Jo Lohman both go after Bridget, barely being restrained by Spirit and Sky Blue team members as they look to avenge their keeper. Kelley leaps up after checking on Ashlyn.

“TRAINERS! GET THE TRAINERS OUT HERE!” she drops back down beside her friend. “Ash, come on, baby, you with me? Come on, Ash, talk to me. Crack a short joke or something, man. Please.”

Christie walks up to Bridget who is still arguing with the ref about her red card. “GET OFF THE FUCKING FIELD! There is no room for that kind of shit on this team.”

Bridget gets in Christie’s face. “Don’t you tell me what to do!”

“I’m the captain and I’m telling you to get your ass off the field. And you might consider packing your shit because I am going to do everything in my power to get you booted from this team. Now get off the field!”

A couple of Sky players grab Bridget before she says anything more to the much respected veteran. Christie walks up to the goal where the trainers are working on Ashlyn. She puts a hand on Crystal’s shoulder.

“What’s the word?”

“Blood, Cap. Lots of blood.”

“Shit.”

For her part, Ashlyn had never blacked out but damn did her head hurt. As she lies face down on the ground trying to make the stars dancing behind her eyelids go away she feels warm liquid sliding down her cheek and knows it is too thick to be sweat.

“Shit,” she mutters and lifts up her head enough to see a steady stream of blood running off her face into a puddle on the grass.

Pierre Soubrier, the Spirit trainer, drops to the ground beside Ash. “Whoa, that looks bad. How’s your mind, Ashlyn?”

“Mad as hell. That was a cheap shot.”

“Yeah, it was. She got the red. Forget about her a minute.” He pushes gauze against her temple. “Let’s get you sitting up, okay?”

Kelley and Tori help Pierre get Ashlyn up to her knees. Kelley winces.

“Damn, Ash, that looks bad.”

“Ash, let’s check your head. Do you know who’s in front of you?” Pierre asks.

“Yeah. Tori and a miniature squirrel.”

Pierre and Tori chuckle as Kelley rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, the bitch is back. She’ll be fine,” Kelley diagnoses.

Ashlyn just smiles as Pierre cleans the cut. “Seriously, Ash, any double vision?”

“No, just a throbbing in my temple and a stinging where you’re applying pressure.”

“Good. Look, game is over for you. Let’s go get you stitched up and run you through a full concussion protocol. You know Jill will want that if she’s watching this game.”

Ashlyn starts to argue but Tori places a hand on her arm. “Go, Ash. Kelsey can take this game the rest of the way. We need you up there in Canada with Whitney helping bring the Cup back home.”

Ashlyn reluctantly nods. Tori and Kelley help her up as Pierre continues to apply pressure to the gash from her eyebrow to her hairline, a result of Bridget’s cleat dragging up that path. Kelley gives her a pat on the butt and she gets pats from her own teammates. Christie meets them halfway to the sideline.

“You okay, Harris?”

“I’m good, Cap. But I’m gonna throttle one of your players.”

Christie smiles. “Not if I get her first. See you later.”

Ashlyn gives her a smile and allows Pierre to lead her to the training room to get the cut treated properly.  
 

* * *

 

In the comfort of her penthouse, Ali had hooked her laptop to her 52” flat screen and played the feed of the Spirit-Sky Blue game. She loved watching Ashlyn play; loved the acrobatic saves; loved her way of directing her backline; loved the adorable keeper’s kit...though she would never call it adorable to Ash’s face.

“YES!” she hollers as Ashlyn makes a save to preserve the shut out. Only to be cussing a few minutes later as Sky Blue scores. As the game winds down she smiles. “Going out on a win, baby. That’s awesome! So proud of you,” she says to the TV.

And then is stunned into a worried silence when she sees her lover get kicked. Hard. She jumps up and stands right in front of the screen as if that will help see Ash’s condition.

“Please be okay, baby. Please. Please be okay.”

The feed switches to a different camera and she sees a swath of blood through Ashlyn’s blonde hair.

“No, no, no, no,” she mumbles over and over.

She breathes a little better when she sees Ashlyn sitting up on her knees and heels. She feels even better when she see Kelley and Tori chuckle. Obviously Ashlyn’s sense of humour is intact. As soon as it is obvious that Ashlyn is being taken out of the game for treatment, Ali blasts off a text.

_“Watching the game. You seem okay but I need to know for sure. Please call me ASAP. I love you.”_

She hits send and thinks a second before sending off another, this one to Whitney.

_“If she can’t text me can you please let me know what’s going on? I need to know she’s okay. Thanks, Whit.”_

Ali paces for an hour, the game on the TV long forgotten and now just showing a blue screen as her laptop is asleep. Finally she gets a text from an unknown number.

_“Hey, it’s Ash. I’m okay. 4 staples in the widest part of the gash. No concussion. And no I have not beaten the woman. I’m letting Cap deal with her. I love you.”_

Ali sighs in relief. She quickly types back.

_“I am so happy you are okay! Please call me when you get back to the hotel. I love you. Oh, and mind if I deal with that bitch instead? ;-)”_

_“Lol. Don’t want you in jail. I’m too jealous for you to be someone’s prison bitch. Call you in about an hour.”_

Ali chuckles and finally goes to disconnect her lap top. She sits on the couch and flips mindlessly through the TV while awaiting her lovers call.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn drops down onto her hotel room bed and moans. Whitney drops onto her own bed and stares at her best friend.

“Regretting turning down pain meds?”

“No. I mean, sorta. It’d be nice to have them but no fucking way am I risking a failed drug test this close to the World Cup.”

“Ah. Good point. So, want some privacy to call Ali?”

“Why? Do I look up for phone sex?” Ash asks with a chuckle.

“Ew! Why do you have to put those images in my head, woman?”

Ashlyn grins. “I love to share with my best friend.”

“Keep sharing that and you may find an opening for that position,” Whitney jokingly threatens. “Tori mentioned a movie night. If you need me, text me.”

“Cool. Thanks, Whit.”

As soon as Whitney leaves Ashlyn gets up and goes into the bathroom. The first thing she does is strip down and shower, watching the water run pink with the blood she carefully washes from her hair. Once that is clear she quickly finishes bathing and gets out again. The shower had actually made her feel a lot better. She pulls on shorts and t-shirt to sleep in the crawls into bed and hits her favorite autodial.

“Ash! Baby, are you really okay?”

Ashlyn’s heart warms at the concern in her fiance’s voice. “I’m fine. Better now that I’ve showered and can relax a little.”

“My heart stopped when she kicked you, baby.”

“I’m sorry you had to see that, Al. Truth is, yeah that was a cheap kick but I’ve had worse. I’m okay and I’ll be fine to participate in the send-off series and the Cup. I’ll even be able to get home tomorrow and rock your world for, oh, 5 or 6 hours.”

Ali chuckles. “Only 5 or 6 hours? By the gods, I need to get you to a hospital immediately.”

Ashlyn laughs. “I know. It kinda scares me.” She sighs. “But seriously, Alex, I’m okay.”

“I believe you. I know you’d never lie to me.”

“Never, my lochagos,” Ashlyn vows seriously.

Ali’s heart skips a beat. “My Adra, what am I going to do with you?”

“Love me forever?” Ashlyn suggests.

“That, my darling, is already a given.”

The two talk a little longer but Ali can hear the exhaustion in Ashlyn’s voice. Reluctantly they decide to call it a night, eager to see each other in the morning.

“Sleep well, baby. If you need anything, call me,” Ali says.

“I will. See you tomorrow. I love you, Alex.”

“I love you, too.”

They hang up and Ali cradles the phone to her chest a moment. She had been terrified when she saw Ashlyn take that kick to the head. And she knows that fear won’t go away completely until her love is in her arms once more. She rubs the amulet she wears.

“Bring her home to me safely, Mother. Please.”  
 

* * *

 

Ali lies naked and cuddled up to her love, who is lazily drawing a finger up the brunette’s arm.

“So, believe now that I’m okay?” Ashlyn asks.

Ali smiles. “Hmmm...three orgasms in 2 hours. I think we better go again. I’m still not convinced.”

Ashlyn laughs. “You are hard to please, Lochagos. What’s a girl to do?”

Ali rolls over on top of her. “I don’t know. Surprise me,” she teases.

Ashlyn stares up at her a moment, her eyes darken. “Surprise you? I think...I know a way how.”

Ali lifts an eyebrow. “Oh really? How?”

Ashlyn rolls, putting Ali below her. “Trust me?”

Ali nods. “Always.”

Ashlyn reaches for the eye mask she uses for afternoon naps. She carefully slides it onto her fiancé, grinning when she sees the woman’s nipples harden.

“So far so good,” Ali drawls.

“Be right back,” Ashlyn says, before kissing her and hopping out of bed.

A few minutes later Ashlyn returns and carefully lies down beside her soulmate. She wraps her lips around one peaked nipple, making Ali moan. Ash drags a hand down the toned body beside her and dips her fingers into Ali’s warm center, smiling when she feels it is still wet. And from the thrust of Ali’s hips she can tell it is ready, too. She kisses Ali’s jaw.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ali whispers wantonly.

Ashlyn lifts up and spreads Ali’s strong legs, kneeling between them. She runs a finger up Ali’s eager slit once more then leans forward, using her right arm to brace herself...

“OH!” Ali squeaks,

...and her left arm to guide her strapon carefully a little ways into Ali. Ali reaches up and pulls off her blindfold. She sees nothing but love and desire in the hazel eyes studying her face.

“May I make love to you this way?” Ashlyn asks.

Ali swallows and then nods. “Yes. Always yes to you, Ashlyn.”

Ash scoots forward a little more and slides farther in. Ali’s eyes close and she arches up. Ash eases out then back in a few times before pressing in farther. Ali meets each thrust with a lift of her hips. The blonde sets a very slow pace, making sure Ali adjusts to this new way of expressing their love. Soon Ali’s hips speed up. She grabs Ashlyn by the back of the head.

“More. Faster,” she begs then kisses Ashlyn deeply.

Ashlyn complies, pumping her body to send her appendage in deeper and deeper. The women move together as if in a choreographed dance. Both are moaning, their kisses getting fiercer. Both are nearing ecstasy when Ashlyn suddenly sits up and lifts Ali’s legs up to her shoulders, giving her more leverage to pound into her woman. She stares at the demi-goddess’ face, contorted with pleasure and can only bite her lip and thrust harder.

“Cum for me, Lochagos. Cum screaming my name to the heavens,” Ashlyn commands.

And Ali obeys.

“ASHLYN! Oh, FUCK! YES! ASHLYN! YESSSSSSSSSSSS!”

Her body rocks with aftershocks that send Ashlyn over the edge, too.

“ALEX! YES! Love you!”

Once the final tremors of her own explosion subside, Ashlyn pulls out and collapses down beside her panting partner. After a few minutes Ali curls into her arms.

“Oh, Ashlyn,” she whispers emotionally.

Ashlyn looks up in fear when she feels a tear hit her shoulder. “Al? Oh, fuck...did I hurt you? Shit, I am so sorry, baby. I didn’t- -”

Ali places a finger on Ashlyn’s lips to stop the apology. “That was amazing. I’ve never given myself willingly to that sort of penetration before. It was...was...incredible. I felt so safe and loved.”

Ashlyn smiles and kisses her forehead. “I’m glad I...” her voice trails off as the words her love had said really register. “Wait...what do you mean...willingly?”

Ali sighs and looks down, nuzzling her head into the crook of the tall woman’s neck. “I was a woman warrior. Sometimes...sometimes we lost and...things happened...”

Ashlyn winces, hating that she made Ali remember those times and furious that any man had hurt her in that way. “I...I’m sorry. We’ll never do that again. I’m sorry you were ever...raped and sorry I made you remember that.”

Ali scoots up and cups Ashlyn’s face. “NO, baby. Do not apologize. The rapes happened long ago and were a price of war. I’ve come to live with them and they were long enough ago I don’t ever think of them or dwell on them. What you did for me, with me, was beautiful. You took your time, you made sure I was comfortable. I felt so much love.” She smiles. “And that end? Damn, baby!” Ashlyn manages a small smile. “Promise me you’ll surprise me with that again sometimes.”

Ashlyn gives her a kiss. “If you are sure, I promise.”

“And maybe...maybe I can return the favor sometime?”

Ashlyn chuckles. “We can negotiate.” She kisses her again. “I love you so much. Please always tell me if something hurts you or makes you remember something bad. I never want to hurt you.”

“I’ll tell you. Promise.”

Ashlyn smiles as she slips the harness off and cuddles up with her soulmate for a well-earned nap.


	14. Chapter 14

“ASHY-ASH!” the blonde hears before a flying squirrel lands on her back.

She laughs and grabs Kelley’s legs and spins around. “KO!”

After a second she lets Kelley down and they share a proper hug. As it ends, Kelley studies her friend’s forehead and shakes her head.

“Looks better but damn...so sorry that happened, my friend.”

Ashlyn shrugs. “Not your fault. You were there for me the second I went down. I appreciate it. And I saw you all released that wench, too.”

“Damn right. Cap went ballistic. I think Coach was scared not to release Rooney,” she laughs. “And rumour is no one in the NWSL will pick her up. She’s pretty much done Stateside.”

Ashlyn nods. “Yeah, I heard that, too. Means a lot to me that the other teams respect the game enough to keep bad eggs out.”

“They respect you, too,” Kelley says, giving Ash a friendly punch on the arm. “No one wants to be the team to sign someone who nearly took out a World Cup player.”

Ashlyn smiles proudly. “Good to know. So, who else is here?”

“Just about everyone.” KO looks around and then smiles widely. “I am so freakin’ excited I can barely contain myself.”

“Honestly...me, too,” Ashlyn confirms. “Just trying to act cool but it’s not easy.”

The two laugh and Kelley walks with Ashlyn to the conference room to check in and get her room assignment for this leg of the send-off series.  
 

* * *

 

The entire bench leaps to their feet when they see Wambach collide with the Irish keeper. They breathe slight sighs of relief to see it is just a bloody nose and nothing worse. Once she gets to the sideline, the veteran forward lets her mother know she is okay with a quick thumbs up to the stands. As the trainers work on stopping the bleeding, Ash can’t help but pick on her friend.

“Oh, so I get bloody and roll around so you gotta get bloody and roll around? What I have I told you about copying my every move, Wambach?”

Abby manages a grin. “What can I say, Stitch? I want to be just like you when I grow up.”

The players around chuckle and give Abby a cheer as she makes her way to the sideline to await being waved back onto the field.

The team is thankful that is the only scare they experience in the first 2 send-off games.  
 

* * *

 

Now Ashlyn is in her hometown for a special She Believes event. She hopes talking to local kids will help inspire them to dream big and work hard to see those dreams come to fruition. She also wants kids to know they are not alone when they feel down, scared, alienated. To that end she brings in her friend Jamie who runs TWLOHA.org to hand out pamphlets and speak, too.

At the end of the very successful event, Ashlyn is helping Jamie pack up. He smiles at his chum. “So, how’s wedding planning?”

Ashlyn smiles. “All in the hands of my bride. I am simply there to say, ‘Yes, dear’ or ‘No, dear’ depending on what the visual cues tell me to say.”

Jamie laughs at her. “Good call. Um, is it over-stepping to say this is a little quick?”

Ashlyn shrugs, thinking about how she has known Ali through 2 lifetimes. “I know but...it’s...it’s hard to explain. It’s not as fast as it seems.”

“But I thought you two only met back in October?” he asks in confusion. “Did you know each other before?”

“No. Yes. I mean, sort of. It’s...complicated.”

He studies his friend a moment and sees she is doing her best not to look him in the eye. He puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Hey, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?” Ashlyn nods as she concentrates and putting some flyers in a box. “Okay. So, uh, as your friend I have to ask...is she somehow abusing you, Ash? Like emotionally or physically?”

Ashlyn looks up sharply. “NO! God, no, Jamie. Geez. She just...look, just trust me: there’s no abuse, no manipulation. I love her with all I have in me. I’d give my life for her in this lifetime and any other.”

“Any other lifetime?” Jamie asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes. It...it may not sound like it makes sense but you have to trust me.” She finally looks into his eyes. “She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

He smiles and pats her on the back. “Then I’ll can’t wait to see the two of you joined in holy matrimony.”

Ashlyn smiles. “Thanks. And thanks for caring enough to make sure I am okay.”

“Anytime, my friend. Anytime.”

The two continue to clean up and make plans to meet up for dinner before Ashlyn flies back to DC for a few days before heading on to New York for the final game before the start of the World Cup.  
 

* * *

 

Ali studies Ashlyn’s face by the light of the moon. “Obol for your thoughts.”

Ashlyn’s heads whip towards her. “What did you say?”

Ali grins. “I said obol for your thoughts. It was the lowest form of currency way back in the day.”

Ashlyn chuckles and shakes her head. “I know. I just...when I was trying to figure things out about you Whitney said that. Or rather, she said ‘penny’ but I heard obol. Until that moment I don’t think I could have even told anyone what an obol was but I suddenly knew. I was wondering if I was hearing things again.”

Ali leans over and kisses her cheek. “Nope, not hearing things. But avoiding the question? Oh, yeah you’re definitely doing that.”

Ashlyn sighs. How do you tell the woman you love that people think she’s abusing you because you can’t answer questions about her without stuttering? How do you tell her that without making her feel like she’s doing something wrong? How do you- -

“Ash, you’re going to give yourself a headache stewing over this answer,” the brunette points out. “Talk to me, baby. Please.”

Ashlyn rolls onto her side to stare into Ali’s concerned eyes. She tells her about the conversation with Jamie. When she ends she strokes her hand down Ali’s cheek.

“Do you know how much I want to tell people the truth? That you are more than an independently wealthy antique’s appraiser who is hot as fuck.” Ali grins at the description. “I want to tell them that you are a fierce warrior, an amazing battle commander, a demi-goddess, and someone I have known practically longer than written history. I want to brag on you so much. So when I catch myself and...and try to temper what I say...people think the wrong thing. I don’t want anyone thinking less of you because I can’t spout off like I want. I’m sorry I’ve made people question you in anyway.”

Ali gives Ashlyn a gentle kiss. “I’m sorry there are parts of all this that are so hard for you.”

“Was it...hard before? Did people...care about you? About us?”

“My men accepted that we were together. My men knew I was appointed by Athena herself to guard that temple. Anyone who had problems with either thing were...removed,” she answers bluntly.

“They were killed?”

The demi-goddess considers her answer carefully. She can see the turmoil in her lover’s eyes and wishes a lie would calm her. But she knows there’s a chance Ashlyn could suddenly remember the truth and a lie would destroy them.

“Yes, they were.”

“By who?”

“Usually...by me. Then by...by my right hand,” Ali finishes softly.

Ashlyn’s eyes widen. She had been Ali’s right hand; had been the defender of her honour. Ashlyn rolls to her back to stare at the ceiling.

“Whoa...”

“You were a warrior, Ashlyn. You were Adrasteia, not Ashlyn. My Adra defended me and the temple with her life and her sword. She obeyed her lochagos and her goddess without question.” She pauses. “You are not her anymore, Ashlyn. Times have changed and that kind of loyalty is reserved for the mafia. I’m not the same person as I was back then either. I mean, when was the last time you saw me waving a sword yelling, ‘STOP THE INVADERS!’?”

Ashlyn chuckles, which was Ali’s hope. “Uh, does cussing at the slowpoke in the bank drive through count?”

“No.”

“Then I guess I see what you mean.” She thinks a moment. “So was...I as much of a badass as I think I was?”

Ali rolls herself over on top of her lover. “Even more of one than you think.”

Ali leans down and captures her in a kiss. Ashlyn runs her hands up Ali’s sides and soon they are losing themselves in love, Ashlyn’s concerns washed away by her belief in their relationship.  
 

* * *

 

“Can you believe we are fucking here?” Whitney asks excitedly as the team plane lands in Winnipeg for the first 2 games of the 2015 Women’s World Cup.

“Hell no,” Ashlyn admits. “I mean, I keep thinking I’ll wake up in my bed at UNC and this is all still just a dream.”

Whitney smiles and nods her head. “Me, too. But we gotta act cool.”

“Cool. Right. I promise not to squeal until I am in my hotel room and can jump up and down on my bed,” Ashlyn vows with a grin.

If they thought just arriving at the airport was fun, actually getting from the terminal to the bus blew their minds. People dressed in red, white and blue chanting USA and begging for photos and autographs lined the sidewalk. It was an amazing gauntlet of support that just fires up all 23 players.

And it happens again when they arrive at their hotel. It is exhilarating!

On the bus, they had gotten their room assignments and room keys. Ashlyn was happy to see she is rooming with HAO, knowing the veteran will help her calm her nerves and keep her in check. As they walk into their room, they see two bouquets of flowers awaiting them. One with an assortment of multicolored blooms is for HAO from her husband, Dave. The other bouquet of roses is from Ali to Ashlyn. The blonde smiles as she pulls off the card.

_“I love you. And if you want to know how much, I’m in room 732.”_

Ashlyn giggles as HAO reads the card over her shoulder. “Don’t forget curfews, Ash. That’s huge these tournaments,” HAO warns.

Ashlyn nods, knowing she’d been a bit free-spirited about curfews several times. “I won’t fuck up, Heather. I swear. I get what’s at stake this time.”

HAO smiles. “Good. Don’t want to sic Abby on your ass.”

The two chuckle and get settled in. They have a team meeting in a little while, followed by a quick training session to work out the kinks they can get while traveling.

And if all goes well, Ashlyn will have a date after the team dinner.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn stares at the ceiling as Ali’s hand rubs up and down her arm. “I just...can’t believe I am here. The World freaking Cup, Als. I mean, if all goes well I won’t see any playing time but I am still here and I know the work I do in practice helps the players do their best in games.” She looks at her fiancé. “And to be here experiencing this with you by my side? My dreams are exceeded in a way I never could have imagined.”

Ali smiles and gives her a kiss. “I’m so proud of you. And so happy for you, too. Maybe you all will kick ass so well your first 2 games you’ll get the third so Ellis can rest Hope.”

Ashlyn shakes her head. “No way. Hope is the best keeper in the world and she deserves the Golden Glove at the end of this tournament. She’ll need every game to ensure that award,” she insists.

Ali smiles and kisses Ashlyn’s chin. “You are incredibly sweet. I know you, like any player, would give their eye-teeth to play at this level but you’re more concerned with a friend getting recognition. Takes a kind soul to look at things that way.”

Ashlyn rolls on top of Ali. “Well, I do have a kind soul.”

“You do,” Ali agrees.

“And a sexy body,” Ashlyn adds.

Ali runs her hands up under Ashlyn’s shirt. “Mmm, that you do.”

“And incredible hands,” she points out as she slides her hands into the waistband of Ali’s slacks.

“Oh, yeah...best hands ever,” Ali pants.

Then the alarm on Ashlyn’s phone goes off, warning her it’s 5 minutes to curfew. Both women groan.

“And a phone with incredibly crappy timing,” Ali adds.

Ashlyn chuckles. “For sure.” She sighs. “Sorry we didn’t make love. Thanks for listening to me swing from excited to nervous then back again for the last hour and a half.”

Ali leans up and gives her a kiss. “It was my pleasure. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she replies and rolls off her lover.

Ali stands and offers her hand. “Come on, stud, let me walk you to your room. Would hate for rabid fans to maul you in the elevator or something.”

Ashlyn chuckles and lets Ali pull her up. Together they make their way up to the room Ash is sharing with HAO. They see more than one couple saying a loving goodnight as they get to the team floor. Ashlyn pulls Ali close.

“Thank you for being here. I love you.”

“Nowhere else I would rather be than beside you, my Adra. I love you so much.”

Ashlyn nuzzles her neck. “Talk to you tomorrow, Lochagos,” she whispers.

The two kiss then Ashlyn pulls herself away and enters her room. She sighs as she closes the door. HAO steps out of their bathroom and chuckles.

“You are so whipped.”

Ashlyn smiles. “Yep. And damn it feels good.”

HAO pats her on the shoulder and lets Ash go into the bathroom to get ready for bed.  
 

* * *

 

Down goes Australia, 3-1. Sweden plays hard but thanks to an amazing goal-line save by Kling the U.S. earns a draw. Then Abby shows the world why she is a clutch player as she is the difference in the 1-0 downing of Nigeria.

Ali leaps into Ashlyn’s arms when the players get to the hotel after party. “YOU WON THE GROUP!”

“Damn right, we did!” Ashlyn says proudly. They share a big kiss.

As it ends, Ali’s eyes are sparkling. “I have a surprise for you.”

Ashlyn grins and leans closer. “Not here, baby, there’s too many people around,” she says with a lecherous wink.

Ali slaps her arm. “Horn dog. That’s not what I’m talking about.” She thinks a second. “Yet.” They both giggle. “Baby, turn around.”

“Why?”

Ali rolls her eyes. “Just do it.”

Ashlyn turns around and her jaw hits the ground. “MOM! DAD!” Ashlyn wraps them up in her arms. “What are you doing here?”

“Ali flew us in,” Tammye tells her. “She says it’s only right we’re here to see you achieving your dreams.”

“We arrived this morning,” her dad adds, “but didn’t want to distract you before the game.”

Tears are streaming down Ashlyn’s cheeks. “I am so happy you two are here.” She looks to Ali without loosening her grip on her parents. “Thank you.”

Ali shrugs. “Just seemed right that they be here.”

“We’ll follow you to your next match and when the US makes the final Ali is flying us back for it,” Tammye tells her daughter.

Ashlyn pulls her close again. “I am so happy. I don’t know what to say.”

“No need to say anything. Just help the team bring that cup back home,” her dad answers.

Ashlyn just nods and the four find a table so they can grab a bite to eat and relax with the other players and their families.  
 

* * *

 

A couple hours later (with the blessing of Jill) Ashlyn follows Ali into the demi-goddess’ hotel room. The door has barely closed before Ashlyn has Ali pinned to the wall and is devouring her mouth with a kiss filled with emotion. When it ends, hazel eyes lock with chocolate ones.

“I am so glad they gave permission for couples to spend the night with their partners tonight. I plan to make you scream my name over and over again so you know how much I love and appreciate you, my lochagos.”

They kiss again, this time with Ashlyn starting to work Ali’s clothes from her body. The brunette tries to help but the blonde does not allow it.

“No, Alexa, tonight I serve you. In all ways,” Ashlyn insists, her voice husky with lust.

Ali just moans as she is stripped down. Ashlyn kisses her way up her lover’s legs, then her torso. She kisses up her arms. She nips and sucks her way up her neck. Finally she lifts her in her arms bridal style and carries her over to the king-size bed. She gently lays her on the white sheets and stares down at the toned, tanned body.

“You are so beautiful.”

Ali reaches out her hand. “As are you. Please, Ashlyn, strip and join me. I need to feel you.”

Ashlyn bows her head. “As you wish, Lochagos.”

Ashlyn slowly peels off the tee she wears. She rubs her hands over her sports bra, making sure Ali sees the hard nipples. When she sees the other woman’s eyes darken, Ashlyn lifts the bra up and off.

“See how much they want you, Alexa?”

“Yes. Oh, yes,” her eyes never leave those perfect breasts.

Ashlyn then kicks off her shoes and toes off her socks. Ali moans, knowing the keeper is teasing her by not removing her pants first. Ashlyn gives her an evil smile.

“You seem eager to see me, Alexa.”

“Hell yes! I’ve missed you so much,” Ali says, practically whining for her woman.

“I’ve missed you, too,” Ash says as she pushes her pants and underwear down in one go.

Naked, she stands beside the bed and runs a finger between her own legs. Ali moans, watching that finger as if it is a lifeline.

“I’m so wet for you.”

“And I am for you,” Ali states, spreading her legs to show her desire.

Ashlyn’s breathing hitches. She lays down on her lover. Their aching nipples rub against each other. Ashly straddles one of Ali’s legs and both women feel the evidence of the other’s desire on their thighs.

“You are as ready as I am,” Ashlyn says.

“Yes, oh, yes,” Ali breathes.

Ashlyn captures her fiancé’s lips in a kiss as she starts to rock against her. Ali moans and starts to follow that rhythm. Using their strong thighs, the woman are driving each other’s desire higher. Ali scratches down Ash’s back, making her moan and thrust harder. Ash locks her arms under Ali’s shoulders, pulling her as close as possible and it just doesn’t seem close enough.

Their bodies rock harder, faster. Their tongues tango, fighting for dominance. Their heaving breasts rub against each other, sending bolts of pleasure through their bodies. Almost before they are ready, they are screaming into each other’s mouth as they cum as one. They lay together panting, sweating. Ashlyn lifts her face.

“I...I can’t get close enough to you. We are separated by nothing and it still seems achingly far away, Alex.”

Ali runs her fingers through Ashlyn’s hair. “I know what you mean. My bag...join us in the most intimate way, Ashlyn.”

Ash reaches to the bag sitting beside the bed. She digs in it a second then shivers when her hand finds what Ali had wanted. She lifts the harness out and grins.

“As you wish, my lochagos.”

“Good. I wish it on me,” Ali says, staring into Ashlyn’s eyes.

Ashlyn swallows. “Did you say...on you?”

Ali nods. “Yes. Let me make love to you that way, Ashlyn. Please.”

Ashlyn had never allowed another woman to possess her in such a way. But right here, right now, she can think of nothing she wants more. She sits up and carefully slides the harness onto Ali, adjusting the straps perfectly.

She stares down at her fiancé and feels herself getting wetter at the thought of giving herself so completely to the brunette. With her right hand she grasps the shaft and starts to run it up and down, knowing that it is putting pressure on Ali’s clit. Ali’s back arches as the shocks through her clit drive her desire higher. Ashlyn leans down and kisses her deeply, then rolls off and lies on her back, open to her lover.

Ali rolls over and kneels between Ashlyn’s legs. She massages the taller woman’s thighs a moment, watching as Ashlyn’s breathing changes. She then smiles and uses her hand to draw the appendage up and down Ash’s wet slit, lubricating it generously. Then, bracing herself on one hand, she uses the other to guide the strapon into her lover.

Ashlyn moans and arches her back, automatically spreading her legs even more as her eyes clench shut. Ali bites her lip at how gorgeous her lover is when she gives herself over so willingly to love. Ali is amazed when she is able to bottom out in her woman.

“Oh, Ash...damn...” She slides in and out a few times, watching Ashlyn moan and rock with the movements. “Look at me, baby. Please look at me. I want to see your eyes.”

Ashlyn opens her eyes. She wraps her legs around Ali’s hips and grabs Ali’s neck, pulling her down into a kiss. The two start to rock in time with each other. Their tongues tango once more as they start driving towards another orgasm. As they get close, Ali moves down and sucks a hard nipple into her mouth, teasing it and sucking it. Ashlyn’s mind is exploding with the sensations. She starts to shudder and Ali starts to drive harder. Harder.

“Oh, Al...Oh...Oh, Ali...Ali...ALEX!”

Ashlyn falls over the edge of heaven as Ali keeps pumping and sucking, her own clit throbbing and nearing explosion. Just when she is sure it will never happen, she feels Ashlyn’s fingers slip behind the harness and give her clit some direct stimulation.

“OH! FUCK! YES! ASHLYN!!!!”

A serious of uncontrollable spasms and Ali cums all over her lover’s hand. Ali drops down on top of the strong woman. They both lay panting, still intimately joined by the harness. Ali finally nuzzles Ashlyn’s neck.

“I can’t move. I didn’t...didn’t realize how much you feel wearing one of those. It was...wow...”

Ashlyn smiles. “The best ones have that nub back there. You made a good purchase.”

Ali chuckles. “Actually, just looked for one that looked like the one you had.”

Ashlyn laughs. “Good call.” She kisses Ali’s temple. “I can’t believe you travelled with that in your carry on!”

“I didn’t. Ordered it online and had it shipped here.”

The two women laugh. After a few minutes, Ali pulls out of Ash and both women shudder at the feeling. Ash pulls her in close.

“I thought I was pleasuring you all night, Lochagos.”

Ali kisses her jaw. “Don’t you know by now, my Adrasteia? Pleasuring you does pleasure me.”

“And pleasuring you pleasures me. I guess that means we’re perfect for each other. I should marry your ass.”

Ali laughs and lifts her left hand. “I kinda think that’s what this ring is all about.”

“Ah, of course. You blew my mind and I forgot,” Ashlyn jokes.

Ali slowly kisses her way down Ashlyn’s body. “Not the only thing I plan to blow tonight,” she says with a wolfish smile.

Ashlyn’s eyes roll back in her head as Ali proves she’s a woman of her word. “Oh, baby...you are so freaking naughty...”  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn is still walking funny the next afternoon at practice, which gets her teased mercilessly by Abby and Pinoe. And Ash doesn’t care one bit as she just smiles smugly, knowing Ali, immortal or not, is probably also walking funny considering the things they’d done when Ashlyn had donned the harness.


	15. Chapter 15

Ashlyn stares at her friend as she walks down the hotel hallway. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Hope winces. “You know that knee injury I’ve been babying since May?”

Ashlyn nods. “Yeah...”

“That fucking field sucked. It’s...not good, Ash,” Hope says. “I couldn’t even stand on it when I woke up this morning. Carli had to help me to the bathroom. I’ve done some therapy on it in the room but, well...” her voice trails off.

The fight against turf had been long, vocal and, for the players, futile. Most fields were steaming hot and the field in Montreal was the absolute worst surface the U.S. had seen all tournament. And now they had beaten Germany 2-0 to advance to the final but would it be without the best goalkeeper in the world.

“Fuck, Hope. I...I don’t...”

Hope takes Ashlyn’s shoulders. “I know you don’t want a cap like this. No hard feelings there. Am I going to fight to play? Damn right. But if I can’t I know the team, and our Cup victory, is in damn good hands.”

Ashlyn stares into Hope eyes. A veteran of previous World Cups, her eyes are steady and calm. Ash knows her mind and heart must be in turmoil over this potentially tourney ending injury. But instead she is staring at Ashlyn with calm confidence. And it helps. The blonde nods her head.

“I can do it. I can help us finish what you started if needed.”

Hope smiles and pats her on the shoulder. “I know. Come on. Let’s go catch the bus to the airport. We’ve got a pretty big date in Vancouver.”

Ashlyn grins. “A date? But Hope I’m a betrothed woman.”

Hope laughs and shoves Ash away. “And I’m married, you jerk.”

The two keepers that fans and media like to pit against each other walk down the hall with respect and, contrary to those negative articles, friendship. Regardless of who starts or ends the championship, the other will be proud of the winning keeper.  
 

* * *

 

Ali’s eyes are huge. “Are...are you serious?”

Ashlyn nods, her hands trembling, her stomach queasy. “Team doctor ruled her out this afternoon.”

Ali pulls her girlfriend into a hug. “I’m so happy for you! This is what you’ve been working for your whole life!”

Ashlyn nods, still trying to believe the word she’d gotten from Jill five minutes before. Hope’s knee is too unstable; Ashlyn gets the World Cup Final.

*********

_Jill had patted Ashlyn on the shoulder. “You’ll bring it home for us, Ash. We believe in you.”_

_Hope had forced a grin to her tear-stained face. “You got this, Ash. Just another championship to add to your resume.”_

_Ashlyn had nodded. “Yeah. Hope, I...you know I...”_

_Hope shrugs. “I know. Just a fucking part of the game. But I’ll be your first hug when the final whistle blows.”_

_Ashlyn forces a smile to her face. “I’m holding you to that.”_

*********

Ashlyn shakes her head, still trying to coming to grips to the fact that a twist of fate is handing her the chance to play for the crown jewel of her career.

“I’m scared, Alex. I’m scared I will let down everyone who has given so much to help me be here. My parents, my grandparents, my brother, my cousins, Anson, my teammates through the years, my- -”

“Stop! Stop that doubting, Ashlyn.” She thinks a second then stares into scared eyes. “Tell me: how many goalkeepers are there in the United States?”

“What?”

“How about in the NWSL alone? I mean, sure there are a couple internationals but more than 10 just in the pro league, right?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess.”

“And how many are here in Canada with that crest on their chest?” she taps the practice Jersey Ashlyn still wears.

“Uh, three of us.”

“And of those three, who is the one the coaching staff knows will deliver the World Cup trophy back to the United States?”

Ashlyn gives a slight smile. “Me.”

“Yes. You,” Ali emphasizes. “Get ready to bask in the spotlight, Ashlyn. Tomorrow you help your team earn that elusive third star.”

Ashlyn pulls Ali into a hug. “Thank you,” she croaks emotionally.

Ali just holds her fiancé, knowing she needs the calming comfort. Inside the demi-goddess is turning somersaults she is so happy.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn knows Abby is screaming out her pregame pep talk. She is screaming partly because the stadium is thunderous but mostly because Abby screams. It’s her thing.

But Ashlyn doesn’t hear her. She doesn’t hear the crowd. She hears the thundering of her heart and is doing her best not let her absolute terror show on her face. Sure she’d won 2 NCAA championships. Yep, she’d won a WPS final by saving the final shot in a shoot-out. But this is the World Cup!

The World Freakin’ Cup!

She manages to go through the motions of the USA cheer and starts to jog to the cage she’ll protect in the first half. Whitney catches up to her and slaps her on the ass.

“Clean sheet, baby,” she wishes.

Ashlyn forces a smile at her right back. “As long as I can get through the first save without peeing my pants or puking my guts out,” she promises.

Whitney busts out laughing. “You are a sick, sick woman.”

“Nope...I’m a keeper,” Ashlyn says with a smug grin at the double meaning. Whitney just rolls her eyes.

As they split to go to their starting positions, Ashlyn realizes that quick exchange with her best friend has helped settle her stomach a bit. She knows she’ll settle even more after her first save or the first USA goal. She tosses her towel and water bottle beside the goal and pats the posts and tugs at the net. She goes through her pregame ritual and then turns and jogs up to the place in the box where she starts every game. She claps her hands loudly.

“Let’s do this, guys!” she yells, getting nods from Broon, Kling, JJ, and Whit.

Her heart skips a beat with excitement when the ref blows the whistle and the game begins. From a distance she watches the game unfold. She watches Whit slip but recover and send a ball into Morgan Brian in the box, and then the youngster earn a corner. She sees where Carli sets up and grins. This was a new trick for a corner and Lloyd had burned all 3 USA keepers with it during practice.

“YES!” Ashlyn screams, pumping her first in the air as the Stars and Stripes take the lead just 2:38 into the match.

Two minutes later Ashlyn is ready to lose her mind. Another USA corner, a little flick on by JJ and LLOYD AGAIN!

“Holy shit! We’re going to do this!” Ashlyn mumbles to herself.

After that goal both teams settle a little. Ash finally gets her hand on the ball due to a bad cross in the 13th minute. She feeds it out to Kling and retreats back to her line as the US again moves it up the field. It seems to take forever but Ash watches it unfold.

“Oh, bad clear...not good for you, Japan,” she mutters as she sees Lauren Holiday streaking towards the misplayed ball. “HOLY SHIT! YES! BEST GOAL OF THE TOURNEY!”

The one stroke volley to the back of the net is gorgeous. Ash even watches the replay on a Jumbotron to assure herself that her friends’ goal was as beautiful as it seemed.

It was.

They are up 3-0 in 14 minutes. This is nuts! It can’t get crazier than this! Whit makes it back to Ash and the two share a hug as Japan tries to regroup. Japan gets it restarted but Ashlyn can tell they are doubting themselves. Their passes are tentative, lacking in the crispness the team is known for. And then Carli gets the ball just the US side of midfield. Ashlyn’s eyes widen.

“Carli, what the fuck are you...HOLY SHIT!”

She sees Carli racing towards her and runs to her friend, catching her as she leaps into the keeper’s arms. A hat trick! And the USA up 4-0 in 16 minutes.

Oh, and Ashlyn has to correct herself: chipping the keeper from midfield is DEFINITELY the goal of the tourney, no offense to Lauren. How is this reality? She leans back and looks into Carli’s eyes.

“Were you really this worried about me being in goal?” she asks with a big smile.

“Nah,” Carli answers with a laugh. “Just figured it’d be a shame to get your kit dirty after keeping it clean so long.”

The two hug again under a crush of players. As they break apart, Ash looks at her defenders.

“Hey, guys, if we can do it, they can do it. Let’s stay sharp.”

The four defenders nod and take their positions.

Ashlyn feels it building. The passes get better, sharper. The steps quicker. She does her best to organize her line. A mischallenge by JJ and a hell of a composed shot.

4-1.

Ash jogs up to JJ, seeing the chagrin in the youngsters face. “Hey, no problem. It was a good challenge.”

“It was a crap challenge.”

“Hey! My box, my word rules. It was a good challenge just unlucky. Shake it off. We’re good, okay?” Ashlyn says, locking eyes with the girl.

Broon, Kling and Whit all say the same thing and they see JJ slowly nod then take a deep breath.

“We’re still up 4-1. I don’t need a clean sheet. I just need a gold medal,” she says with a grin.

JJ finally smiles and Ash sees she is back in the game. The defenders clap hands and get ready for the ensuing kickoff.

As the team jogs off at the half, Ash walks alongside Hope, getting insight from the veteran keeper on ways to marshal the backline against the Japanese attackers. Both know that 4-1 is not safe when there is 45 more minutes of soccer to go. Ashlyn’s own words keep ringing in her ears: if we can do it, they can do it. She looks at Hope.

“That midfield chip...if that happens to me...I’ll beat the midfielders.”

Hope chuckles. “I hear you. But it was damn pretty to watch from the sidelines.”

“Damn pretty watching from behind, too,” Ash grins.  
 

* * *

 

Ali hugs Tammye. “Can you believe this? This is...is...”

Tammye nods. “Yes, it is! Oh, my girl has to be so happy!”

“Definitely. But I guess we need to keep our heads out of the clouds. Japan is pretty good. They could regroup, right?”

“Not the way our girls are playing,” Tammye says with a grin.

The women chuckle and start to share ideas and highlights with the other USA supporters in their section. Try as they might, no one can temper their excitement or curb their belief that this team will finally come out of the shadow of the legendary 99ers.  
 

* * *

 

The Japanese team, as the US expected, comes out with new fire in the second half. Ashlyn groans when a foul in the 50th minute sets up a set piece outside her box. She gets her team set and awaits the kick...then watches helplessly as JJ sends in an own goal in the 52nd. After the earlier challenge led to a goal, Ashlyn knows she needs to get to the defender quickly before doubt sets in.

“Hey, JJ,” she says.

“Ash, sorry, I was trying to head it out and- -” JJ starts to explain.

“And shit happens,” Ashlyn interrupts. She smiles. “Buy me a beer and I forgive you for getting 2 scored on me. Deal?”

JJ manages a small smile. “Deal.”

“Good. Now get out there and shut them down. No more, right?”

“Right.”

As JJ heads out to her position, the other defenders also have words of encouragement for her. She had played a stellar tournament and Ashlyn hopes these two little slips don’t weigh on the young star’s mind for too long. She is much better than those two little goofs, which could have happened to anyone.

Two minutes later Ashlyn leaps in the air. “TOBES! YES!”

In the 54th minute a corner leads to a cross in from Brian right to a waiting Tobin Heath. 5-2. It was a massacre! Japan never gives up, though. Ash had to come up with a few saves, including a great punch in the 80th. Ashlyn knows it isn’t possible but it really feels like the last 3 minutes lasted at LEAST an hour.

And then the whistles blows three sharp times.

The next five minutes are a whirlwind of hugs, tears, screams, more hugs, and the promised embrace from Hope, though it wasn’t Ashlyn’s first. Hope stares her in the eyes.

“Brick. Fucking. Wall!”

Ashlyn smiles and nods. “I learned from the best.”

Ashlyn is then grabbed from behind in a rib-crushing hug.

“ASH!”

“ABS!”

Abby puts her down and turns her around, staring into her eyes. “You made my dream come true, buddy.”

Ashlyn shakes her head. “We did it together.”

The two hug again and then turn arm-in-arm to go offer congratulations to their competitors. The team then turns to the stands, searching for their loved ones. Like a magnet, Ashlyn finds Ali immediately and races towards her. She gets the wall and lifts her hands up to her fiancé.

Ali grabs them and yanks Ashlyn off the ground as if she’s a toddler. Ashlyn’s eyes widen but Ali just grins. Ash chuckles.

“Sexy, baby,” she whispers as they hug.

“I am so fucking happy for you, baby! You were amazing! Carli was a BEAST! Just so damn good! I love you so much!”

“I love you, too.”

The two share a deep kiss as those around them pat Ashlyn on the back to congratulate her on stepping in to help seal the World Cup for the US. When the kiss finally ends, Ash’s eyes are full of lust. Ali just grins.

“I’ll give you a proper congrats later, stud.”

“I’m counting on it...unless I am too drunk off my ass,” Ashlyn says with a laugh.

She jumps down to go join her team for a quick walk of the stadium as they await the awarding of the awards, medals and, finally after 16 years, The World Cup Trophy.

Move aside, 99ers, the 15ers have arrived!  
 

* * *

 

The party lasts looooong into the night. Family members and special guests of the team dance and drink, shooting champagne corks into the air every time a new bottle is opened. The whole team is on a stage singing every victory song ever written as they chomp on their medals every once in a while to assure themselves that this is all real.

About 2 a.m. Ali is dancing and laughing with the Rapinoe’s and the Harris’ when arms wrap around her from behind.

“MY LOCHAGOS!” Ashlyn screams.

Ali spins around, wanting to stop her very drunk fiancé from using that term again and garnering questions. She silences her with a deep kiss. When it ends, Ali smiles at her.

“Having fun, baby?”

“Definitely,” Ashlyn answers as her hands start to wander. “But I can think of a more funner way to celebrate.”

“More funner?” Ali confirms with a grin at the bad grammar.

“Yesh! More funner! The more funnerest!” Ashlyn insists, then leans in close. “I wanna rip your clothes off and fuck you until I earn another gold medal in fucking. I bet it’s a sport somewhere.”

Ali blushes and bursts out laughing. “I am SO glad it is loud in here and no one can hear you. Shall we retire to my room?”

Ashlyn’s eyes widen. “Retire? I ain’t retiring! Who the hell thinks I is retiring?”

Ali rolls her eyes. “Bad choice of words. Come on, Champ, let’s get to my room and start a new party.”

“YESH! I’M GETTING LAID!” Ashlyn screams.

Ali blushes and turns. This time everyone around had heard the keeper. Ali just shakes her head as everyone laughs and cheers.

“Uh...I will...see you all in the morning,” she says and takes Ashlyn’s hand.

“LET’S GOOOO!” Ashlyn says and lifts Ali up onto her shoulder caveman style and heads out of the party to the whoops and hollers of her teammates, especially Pinoe.  
 

* * *

 

Athena is using a scrying bowl to watch the events in Vancouver unfold. She smiles, trying to remember a time she had seen her daughter so happy. Perhaps on her first wedding day so many centuries ago.

“I am so happy for you, Alexa,” she whispers at the image of her smiling daughter.

Her watching is interrupted when someone runs into her chambers. She glances over her shoulder.

“Hermes, what brings you here?”

“Bad news from the Fates, I’m afraid,” he says sadly.

Athena turns to give him her full attention. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Alexa. Tides have turned and her time is limited.”

Athena frowns. “Limited? Limited how? She can’t be dying...can she?”

Hermes slowly hands her a scroll sealed with the mark of the Fates. “I am merely the delivery boy, great Athena. This has all you need to know.”

She can see in his eyes he knows more but doesn’t have the heart to break the news to her. He zips out of the room. With a heavy heart, Athena breaks the seal and begins to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope's injury in this chapter really happened. 3 days before the final she couldn't even walk. Imagine what could have been for Ali and Ash in RL! :o)


	16. Chapter 16

“Get me a gun,” Ashlyn groans as the alarm clock starts to buzz incessantly.

“Baby, you have to get up. You have to be on the Fox set in a couple hours.”

“No. Gotta sleep,” Ashlyn pouts.

Ali flips on the light and looks at her bedmate, chuckling when she sees one of Ash’s eyes is covered by her gold medal. It’s like a solid monocle. Ali reaches over and carefully slides it off. She stands and goes to the bathroom to get the shower started. She then flips on the coffee pot she had set up last night and goes back to the bed.

“Come on, baby, you need to get up.”

She pulls Ashlyn up and helps her swing her legs over the edge of the bed. Ashlyn groans again, slapping at the alarm clock Ali had left running on purpose.

“Stupid, damn clock,” she grumbles.

Ali giggles. “Let’s get you undressed, Champ.”

Ashlyn looks down at herself in confusion. “I got dressed after we had sex last night?”

Ali giggles harder. “Not exactly. We never had sex. You carried me to the door then set me down so I could unlock it. Then passed out leaning against the wall before we made it inside. I dragged you in, dropped you on the bed and you never even woke up.”

Ashlyn rubs her forehead. “I suck.”

“You didn’t last night,” Ali teases.

Ashlyn would have rolled her eyes but she’s pretty sure it would have caused her brain to explode. She lets her fiancé undress her and basically carry her to the shower.

“Join me?” she asks with a squinty-eyed grin.

“As hard as it is for you to open your eyes that might be a good idea,” Ali agrees.

Soon the hot water and the strong hands are working together to help Ashlyn start to feel human. As Ali massages shampoo into blonde locks, Ashlyn sighs.

“I really wanted to have celebration sex with you last night,” she whines.

“I wanted it, too, baby. But I wasn’t about to make you stop partying with your teammates. You all have earned the hangovers most of you will have.”

“Ugh. I can’t believe we have to be TV presentable soon. Hope they have plenty of make-up,” she grunts.

Ali just grins and continues trying to help her soulmate feel better before she has to report for the special Three Star Jersey presentation.  
 

* * *

 

Ali watches with pride along with a few other Team USA special guests as the ladies get their new, freshly minted jerseys with the star they had earned through blood, sweat and tears. She claps excitedly when #18 gets her new red jersey and an extra-long hug from Jill for stepping in and securing the Cup for the US.

As the TV celebration continues, she finally grabs her phone which had been ringing incessantly for the last 20 minutes. She steps to a quieter area of the set and answers.

“Hello?”

“Is this Alexandra Krieger?”

“Yes. Who’s calling?”

“My name is Clyde Jones. I’m the assistant to Representative Peter Buckholtz. You recently evaluated several statues for him?”

“Yes, of course. The ones that turned out to be copies, right?”

“Well, yes, so you say.”

Ali shakes her head. No one likes to be told they got swindled. “I’m afraid the false provenance papers and types of tools used to create the statues prove they were actually early 20th century creations, not ones carved in the early 1500’s.”

“Are you willing to swear to that in a court of law, Ms. Krieger?”

“Yes, Mr. Jones, I am. I stand by my appraisal.”

“Well, we’ll see about that.”

The man hangs up and Ali pockets her phone. “Idiot,” she grumbles and goes back to watch the rest of the ceremony.  
 

* * *

 

After saying goodbye to Ashlyn’s parents, the two women had gone back to Ali’s room to order a late breakfast (now that Ash can stomach food) and spend time together before Ash has to meet the team for the flight to L.A. and the start of a week of celebrations back in the U.S. As they enjoy their meal, the blonde studies the brunette.

“What’s wrong?”

“What?”

“I asked what’s wrong. Something is bothering you.”

Ali puts her fork down. “I’m sorry. This is a big day for you and you don’t need to be worrying about my crap.”

Ashlyn takes her hand. “Alex, how many times in the last 48 hours have you been there for me when my nerves were getting to me? How many times since we met? Talk to me, baby.”

Ali sighs. “I got a call. Turns out that Rep Buckholtz is pissed that his statues are fakes and, apparently, it is my fault. Not the first time I’ve been blamed but his assistant mentioned court.”

“Oh, baby, that sucks. Is there anything I can do?”

Ali strokes her cheek. “Just keep being your sexy, sweet self.”

“Well, that’s easy,” Ash replies with a smug grin. “Anything else?”

Ali laughs. “Humble, baby. So humble.” They stare into each other’s eyes. “Do you know how I knew you were perfect for me?”

“How?”

“You made me give a damn about living. Before you I was doing a job and that’s all that mattered. Then suddenly there you were and I took time for picnics and cuddling in bed and to just enjoy life. That’s still the case all these centuries later. I’d been living a half-life before you, Ashlyn. Thank you for making me want to exist again.”

Ashlyn stands and pulls Ali into a hug. “You know how I knew you were perfect for me? When I was scared as hell in college or even in the pros before a big game, I’d seek out sex as a release to make me feel in control and safe. With you...words are enough because you believe in me enough for both of us. You don’t know how safe that makes me feel. You make me love this existence.”

The two kiss...which leads to more...which leads to a mad scramble for Ashlyn to get showered, packed and to the bus before the team leaves her behind in Canada. As it is she’s the last one on the bus and gets a round of applause from those aboard, making her blush so brightly they worry her head may explode.

“Have a good celebration, Ash?” Abby teases as the keeper walks by.

“We had breakfast and lost track of time,” Ash mumbles.

“Right. Guess you had raw octopus and it got your neck,” Christie teases as Ashlyn slaps her neck self-consciously.

“I’ll just...be...in my seat,” she mumbles and stomps back to her spot beside Whit as the whole team laughs.  
 

* * *

 

When Ali gets off her plane at Dulles she turns her phone on, hoping for a message or two from Ash. Instead there is a text from her boss asking her to call immediately. She groans and steps off to the side of the bustling main drag to give him a call.

“Tony? It’s Ali. What’s up?”

Her boss sighs. “Nothing good, Krieger. Nothing good. We just got a subpoena for all your records.”

“What? For what purpose?”

“Seems your latest client is pissed that you determined his statues were faked. Meanwhile, his colleague, who recommended you, was given quite a favorable estimate of his bone china collection. And since they are in different political parties...”

Ali rolls her eyes. “This jerk thinks I trashed his statues over politics? Are you serious?”

“I’m afraid so. And now his people are looking to tear you apart.”

Ali pinches the bridge of her nose. Of all the things she thought could happen to expose her lack of a past, this was the last thing she would have guessed.

“I...well, just give him...everything.”

“I did. I’m sorry, Ali, but I had to.” He takes a deep breath. “And...I hate to say this but...I need to suspend you while this investigation is going on.”

“WHAT? Why?”

“You know that any hint of impropriety at an auction house can be a death knell. I have to show our customers, and potential customers, that I take these accusations seriously.”

“And you don’t think standing by your employees shows your confidence in them? Hell, Tony, it should give people more faith in you that you’re willing to stand up to idiots like Buckholtz!”

He sighs again. “I’m sorry, Ali. I’ll...be in touch when you can return to work. If you need anything from your office here I can have it sent. And if you have anything at home I’ll need you to get that back to us tomorrow via courier.”

Ali leans against the wall, in shock over the way things are going down. “Yeah, uh, okay. I have some research on the Banali collection but all the pieces are in the safe.”

“Okay. Just call our service tomorrow and they’ll come get it.”

“Sure. Right. I’ll...talk to you...well, sometime.”

“Okay. And, Ali, I really am sorry about all this.”

“Yeah, I know. Not your fault, Tony.” She hangs up. “Not your fault you’re a cowardly pussy willing to bend your ass over for politicians,” she mutters and heads off to baggage claim.  
 

* * *

 

An hour and a half later Ali stands outside the door of her penthouse. She yawns. The last month’s travel mixing with her work stress is exhausting her. And since the demi-goddess rarely needs sleep that tells her just how much she is affected by everything.

“Home sweet home,” she mumbles as she opens the door and steps into her penthouse...

...and ends up in a marbled hallway, with large, arched doorways lining it. She rolls her eyes.

“Son of a bitch. Olympus. I hate when they pull the door as portal trick.”

“This way, Alexa,” she hears echoing down the corridor.

Dropping her luggage on the ground she follows the echoes to a room where she finds her mother pacing.

“Mother, I’m tired for the first time in months and really, really want my bed. Why am I here?”

Athena walks over and hands her daughter the scroll. Ali reads it and her face pales. She looks up at her mother.

“What...what does this mean?”

“I think you know, Alexa.”

Ali starts to shake her head. “No. No way. NO! I haven’t even been back with my Adra for a year! NO! There has to be another way!”

“I’m afraid there isn’t. The information that politician requested is...extensive. Your background has already been exposed as a fraud, they just haven’t released that information yet. The deeper they dig, the harder it will be to explain who, or rather what, you are. I’m sorry, Alexa, but your time is coming to an end.”

Ali looks from her mother back to the scroll. She watches a tear drop onto the parchment, smearing the ink as it rolls down the page. She finally looks back up.

“How...how long?” she asks quietly.

“A month, maybe two.”

“No, how long will I have to be gone? When can I go back to Ashlyn? To my Adra?”

“I don’t know. The Fates don’t even know. They will have a lot of reweaving to do to erase you from people’s minds.”

“What...what do you mean? Why do I have to be erased from her mind? From anyone’s mind?”

“Alexa, if they find out who you really are, that you are immortal, who knows what they will do to you. Or if they simply think you are a fraud they could lock you up in an asylum and then they would see you never aging, never sleeping, never being hurt. And then it would be back to them turning you into some sort of lab rat.”

“NO! No, Ashlyn wouldn’t let any of that happen to me! She knows what I am! She’d protect me from that, Mother!”

Athena thinks about that a moment. “Is she the only one that knows?”

“No, her best friend Whitney does, too.” She frowns at the look that crosses her mother’s face. “Mother, what’s going on? What are you going to do to Ash and Whit?”

Athena steps forward and takes Ali’s hands. “Nothing, darling. I promise: they won’t be harmed. I just need to know how wide the truth of you is spread.”

Ali stares into her mother’s eyes. “For the first time in my life, I don’t believe you.” She drops the scroll to the ground. “Send me home, Mother. I tire of Olympus.”

Athena nods, seeing her stubborn girl is not willing to discuss this any farther. She gestures to the hallway. Ali turns and starts back down the hall. She pauses as the goddess calls after her once more.

“Alexa! I’m sorry.”

Ali doesn’t turn, just gives a curt nod and continues towards her luggage. As she lifts her bags, the wall in front of her morphs into the image of her apartment door. She pushes it open and steps into her home. She shuts the door and quickly checks her watch.

“Thank god,” she whispers.

This particular trip to Olympus had only cost her 5 hours on Earth even though she had only felt like she was gone for a few minutes. She pulls her phone from her purse and sees numerous missed calls and texts from Ashlyn. The concern in them grows the longer it takes for Ali to respond. She hits her speed dial and it only rings once before Ashlyn answers.

“Alex! Are you okay?”

Ali smiles and drops onto her couch. “I’m fine. I’m sorry, baby, I got home and sat down for one second on the couch and I guess I fell asleep.”

Ashlyn sighs in relief. “Oh thank goodness. It’s not like you to not let me know you landed and the longer I couldn’t reach you the worse my imagination got.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologizes again. “I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was.”

“It’s okay. So, um, I guess you haven’t seen the news or anything since you got home?”

Ali frowns. “No. Why?”

“Um, well, I got a news alert that your auction house is under invest- -”

“Oh, that. I talked to Tony right after I landed. And it’s not the house being investigated, just me.”

“But why?”

“Representative Buckholtz is claiming I trashed his treasures because of his political affiliation.”

“What a DICK!” Ashlyn shouts indignantly. “When you prove him wrong you should sue his ass!”

Ali smiles, loving that Ashlyn is so mad on her behalf. “Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. On hopefully a happier note, how’s L.A.?”

“It’s nuts! A bunch of us were going to go out to dinner tonight but things are so crazy outside our hotel we decided it would be better to eat in. People are still outside chanting USA and they scream anytime one of us walks through the lobby. I figure this is what bands like the Stones or The Jonas Brothers go through.”

Ali chuckles. “The Jonas Brothers? Maybe I need to check your iPod, baby.”

Ashlyn blushes even though Ali can’t see her. “They had a couple good songs.”

“Riiiight,” Ali says giggling.

The blonde smiles, loving the picture in her head of her girl cuddled on the couch giggling, her nose crinkling adorably.

“I miss you so much already,” Ash says breathily.

“I miss you, too,” Ali says sadly, her heart clenching with the knowledge they would be separated soon for an unknown length of time. “I’ll always miss you.”

Ashlyn doesn’t question that statement, assuming Ali is dwelling on her immortality and the curse of living without your soulmate forever.

“I wish there was a way we could spend eternity together. But all we can do is cherish our time together as long as we can,” she says softly.

Ali smiles, a tear slipping down her cheek. “Yeah,” she agrees, knowing Ashlyn has no idea that time is already quickly counting down.  
 

* * *

 

After the whirlwind of the LA trip, Ashlyn is able to fly home for a couple days, before heading to New York for Good Morning America and a rumoured ticker tape parade. After signing autographs in the airport for an hour, she is finally able to get a cab home. She smiles as she sees Ali’s car in the parking lot. She hurries up to her apartment and bursts through the door.

“Honey! I’m home!” she calls out with a grin.

Ali steps out of the kitchen and walks towards her fiancé, smiling at the happy look on the blonde’s face. That happy look soon falls as she sees the bags under Ali’s eyes.

“Alex...what the hell?”

“Just...hold me?”

Ashlyn pulls Ali close. The demi-goddess feels frail, something Ashlyn has never felt before, in either lifetime. After a few minutes, Ash eases her back.

“Baby, what’s going on? Why...why do you look so...so tired?”

Ali strokes a hand down Ashlyn’s cheek. “I got an official notice today. I have to give a deposition on my credentials.”

“And?”

Ali sighs and leads Ashlyn to the couch. “My background was...for lack of a better word, inserted into this era. It shows I have a degree in antiquities from a university in Greece. And, in some ways, that’s true. Only I got the original degree about 140 years ago. Granted, I’ve taken courses to keep up with what’s happening in the field but...but...”

“But no one alive can verify you got the original degree,” Ashlyn realizes. “Holy shit. How...how do we fix this?”

“I don’t know yet. But...I think it best if we...you know...didn’t see each other much right now. I trust Olympus to protect me but they can’t protect you. And you are riding a high from this victory. You don’t need me bringing you down.”

Ashlyn takes both of Ali’s hands. “You are NOT bringing me down, Alex. You can’t. I’m not letting you face this alone! To hell with the victory shit. You need me. I’ll be beside you the whole way.”

Ali pulls her hands away and stands. “But I don’t want you by me, Ashlyn. I won’t have you by me and hurt yourself along the way.” She slowly slides off her engagement ring. “I’m afraid this...is goodbye.” She offers the ring to the blonde.

Ashlyn leaps up. “BULLSHIT! Look, I get you’re upset but running from me isn’t the way to handle it!” She puts her hand on the shorter woman’s shoulder. “I love you, Alex. Not just because of what we had 2000 years ago but because of what we have now. We may not have said the vows yet this time but I still am beside you for better or for worse. This changes nothing!”

Ali stares into green eyes buried by tears. She pulls away and carefully set the ring on the coffee table.

“You’re wrong, Ashlyn. This accusation and all it entails changes everything.”

“No!”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

Ali starts to turn away but Ashlyn grabs her roughly by the arm.

“2000 years ago you killed me, stabbed me in the heart, to protect me. What you’re doing now is 1000 times worse! Let me help you, Alex. Please...”

Ali’s head drops then she uses her strength to pull her arm free as her other arm pushes Ashlyn back. “No.”

Instead of going to the door, she runs to the balcony and jumps. Ashlyn races after her, leaning over to watch her lover land on the ground 5 stories below. Ali looks up once, the walks away.

“ALEXA! NO!”

Ashlyn races out of her house to her Jeep. She drives like a bat out of hell to the complex where Ali lives. As she runs in the man at the front desk calls out to her.

“MS. HARRIS! WAIT!”

Ashlyn ignores him as she leaps onto the first elevator that arrives. She pulls out the key to the penthouse level and inserts it...

...nothing happens.

“What the fuck?”

She tries several times before the manager reaches her. He places his hand on the elevator doors to stop them from closing.

“Ms. Harris, I’m afraid it’s no use.”

“She changed the fucking locks?” Ashlyn fumes.

“No, ma’am. We did. After she moved out.”

“Moved...out? To...to where?”

“I’m afraid she didn’t say. I’m sorry.”

Ashlyn stares at him, trying to see if he’s lying. But in her heart she knows he is not. She pulls the key out and fingers it, before letting it drop against the others on her key ring. Without a word, she walks out of the elevator and out of the building. She stares up at the night sky...

...and screams for all she’s worth.


	17. Chapter 17

Whitney grumbles as her phone rings with a familiar tone. She glances at the clock and sees it is after 1:30 in the morning. She grabs it, hoping for her best friend’s sake this is not a butt dial.

“What?”

“She’sh gone. Gone. Left. Sheesh...she’sh gone,” a very drunk and badly sobbing Ashlyn blurts out.

Whitney sits up in bed, stunned by the devastation in her friend’s voice. “What? Who is? Ash, what’s going on?”

“Alexa. Gone. Left. Fuck me, Whit, I loshted her.”

Whitney’s anger briefly flares, thinking Ashlyn has simply pissed off her fiancé. But the utter despair in Ash’s voice coupled with the choked sobs that are nothing Whit has ever heard before tells her there is more to this than it seems.

“Ashlyn, sweetie, I need you to take a deep breath,” she hears a bottle glug, “put the alcohol down, and try to tell me what you mean. How is Ali gone?”

“That fucking bashturd was gonta sue. So sheesh left a’cause no one can know. You know. I know but no one elshe. Sheesh gone. Lefted me to protectsh me.”

Whitney tries hard to put it all together. “So, someone was suing Ali?”

“YESH! Are you nots lishtening?” Ashlyn yells in frustration.

“I am, Ash. I swear I’m listening. I’m just...you woke me up.” She glances at her clock again and tosses off her covers. “I’m going to be on the next flight possible out there, okay? Until then I’m going to call Jo to see if she can come sit with you, okay?”

“NO! Sheesh don’t know!”

“Honey, she knows Ali. You can just tell her Ali left after a fight, okay? Are you at home?”

“Yesh.”

“Okay. Just...hang on. We’ll help you through this.”

Whitney hangs up and quickly calls Ashlyn’s Spirit teammate Joanna Lohman. After confirming that Jo still has a key to Ashlyn’s apartment, Whitney throws some clothes in a suitcase, including some for the USWNT visit to New York and heads out to the airport, hoping to be on the first flight east she can find. No one but her knows the truth behind Ali’s heritage and she can only hope it stays that way until she makes it to Ashlyn and helps the keeper sober up.  
 

* * *

 

Ali watches in tears as she sees Ashlyn break. She drops to her knees beside her mother’s scrying bowl and prays to Aphrodite to help her former fiancé’s heart.

“Please, Aunt Aphrodite, please do something to help her. Anything. Please just make the pain ease. I can’t stand to see her this way and know I did it to her. Please, please help her!”

Ali feels a hand stroke down her hair.

“The Fates are already at work, my child. Once they finish weaving her mind and the mind of her friend everything will be in place for your true departure from their world.”

Ali looks up into the kind eyes of the goddess of love. “What...what do you mean?”

“They’ll forget you’re immortal. And then...then you will be able to die and just be a tragic loss to Ashlyn. A lover killed before a fight you had could be resolved.”

“NO! No, she will feel guilty forever if she thinks we left a fight unresolved and then I died. Please, please, Aphrodite, don’t do that to her!”

“There is only so much we can do, child. I’m sorry.”

Ali breaks down again, her sobs echoing through the marbled halls. Aphrodite looks up and locks eyes with Athena. The goddess of war and wisdom is not welcomed at her daughter’s side. And Athena cannot blame Ali for that banishment. Aphrodite looks back down at her niece.

“Rest, child. Rest and let us do what we can to ease her mind,” Aphrodite offers.  
 

* * *

 

Whitney manages to sleep for nearly the entire flight from California to D.C. She gets a cab from National to Ashlyn’s apartment, letting herself in with the key she has. Jo steps out of the kitchen and offers Whit a cup of coffee.

“Saw the cab pulling up. Figured you could use this,” the defender offers her counterpart.

Whit smiles and nods as she accepts the drink. “So, how is she?”

“By the time I got here she was passed out. Damn good thing she gave me a key to check on things while you all were in Canada.”

Whitney nods. “Definitely. Where is she?”

“Well, I got her off the balcony and onto the couch. I was hoping to get her to bed but she kept saying she couldn’t sleep there because Ali had slept there.”

Whit rolls her eyes. “Sounds like the justification she’d use. Did she tell you what the fight was about?”

Jo nods. “Nope. All she did was insist she couldn’t sleep in her room.”

“Okay. Well, why don’t you head on home. I’ll take over for now. Maybe I can reach Ali and help bridge whatever gap this argument they had caused.”

Jo nods and leaves. Whitney goes over to the couch and kneels down beside her friend. Ashlyn reeks of Johnny Walker Blue. Whit shakes her head.

“You’ll be pissed at yourself if you downed your commemorative bottle.” She brushes a hand through Ashlyn’s hair and sits down in the recliner to wait for Ash to wake up. It doesn’t take long for the fullback to fall back asleep.  
 

* * *

 

“Are they...done?” Ali asks sadly as she sits on the floor in front of the scrying bowl.

Aphrodite nods. “Yes. They changed Whitney’s memories while she flew across country. They just finished Ashlyn’s memories moments ago. She’ll wake up and remember you two fought over being an ‘out’ couple as the humans say. You couldn’t handle all the new publicity and got scared which turned to anger. You broke up with her because it was stress added to what you already had due to the investigation.”

Ali wipes the tears from her face and pulls her knees up to her chest. “That...that sounds sadly plausible. And she won’t remember the truth about me? Ever?”

“Not in this lifetime, child. Not without...intervention.”

Ali nods. Then she registers what Aphrodite has said. “Intervention?”

“Two hearts that are meant to be one will always find each other no matter how many years pass. And if the owners of both hearts are destined for eternity then there are...solutions to the problem of mortality if both parties are willing to make sacrifices.”

“What sort of sacrifices?” Ali asks.

“Part of you to part of her. And for her...the loss of that which you never had,” Aphrodite replies cryptically.

“What does that mean?”

“That is all I can say, child. You must weave the answer for yourself.”

Aphrodite disappears, leaving Ali to contemplate the whispered words of advice. She thinks carefully then suddenly her eyes light up.

“Weave...of course! The Fates! They would know how to make Ashlyn immortal!”

She leaps to her feet and runs from her mother’s chambers, determined to speak to the caretakers of the Loom of Life.  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn groans as she rolls over on the couch. Her head is pounding. Her stomach is queasy. Her tongue feels like she licked a dozen sweaters.

And her heart is still broken.

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Whitney says sarcastically.

Ash opens one eye, groaning again when the light hits her retina. “Time?” she croaks.

“It’s almost 3.”

“Why’re you here?” she grunts

Whitney sits forward and slaps Ashlyn’s foot. “Because my best friend scared the shit out of me. You called me in the middle of the night completely despondent, drunk off your ass, and barely able to make sentences. I had Jo come over and take care of you until I got here. Now what the hell happened?”

Ashlyn doesn’t remember calling her best friend. Hell, she doesn’t remember Jo being at the house. “Jo was here?”

“Yeah. Dragged your drunk ass in off the balcony. Said you wouldn’t sleep in your room because Ali had slept there. What the hell happened, Ash? You two were...were so perfect!”

The keeper slowly sits up on the edge of the couch. Once she knows she’s not going to fall over or puke, she sighs and runs her hands through her hair.

“She left me. I called to tell her I was home and on my way over but she told me not to come. She...she didn’t want to be out and all the pics and stuff from Canada were adding stress to her life. Add in that asshat politician suing her and she was just...fucked up. I tried to go see her but...but she’d moved out.”

“Moved out? When?”

Ash shrugs. “I guess today...uh, yesterday. Manager said she left no forwarding address and they’d even changed the locks already.”

“Damn, Ash.”

“Yeah. I tried calling but her number is disconnected.” She leans forward, elbows on her knees as her hands dangle. “How do I make things right, Whit? How do I find her and make her love me again?”

She starts to sob and Whit quickly moves to her side, pulling her in close. “Shhhh, honey. It’ll be okay eventually. She probably just needs to let her mind settle and let all this hoopla to die down. She loves you, Ash. That hasn’t changed.”

“How do you know?”

“Because love like you two have doesn’t just...just die overnight. It might get overshadowed by negative influences for a while but it eventually comes back around.”

Ash continues to cry on Whit’s shoulder, not sure if she believes her friend or not, but praying Whitney’s words turn into truths.  
 

* * *

 

Ali races into the cavernous expanse that holds the Loom of Life. Strands of various colours stripe the room like a multi-coloured spider’s web. In a far corner she catches a shimmer of light: the golden loom holding the lives of the immortals. She carefully makes her way across the room, doing her best not to disturb the lives of those the three Fates carefully tend. She studies the threads carefully then finally sees what she is looking for: a thread that started as string but is now made of gold.

“So they can grant immortality,” she mumbles.

“It is not our place to grant anything,” a young voice states.

Ali turns and sees the spinner, the allotter and the unturnable. Clotho, the young spinner of life is the one that had spoken.

“What do you mean? You grant life with this loom,” Ali points out.

“We grant nothing. We simply weave what destiny determines,” the mother, Lachesis, states.

“But...but there are threads here that started mortal and became immortal,” Ali points out. “Surely you’re the ones that did that!”

“We did not,” the crone, Atropos, states. “Destiny feeds Clotho the first inch of string that she weaves into life. Destiny guides Lachesis to allot an amount of time for the string to work. And destiny controls my hand, that I may cut the string when that time comes.”

Ali starts to pace. “So you all have no control over the strings. Then who does? Who allowed these threads to turn?”

“In the time of ancients, there were many hidden ways to become immortal. Gods and goddesses had their own ways of proving a mortal worthy of eternal life and their own ways of granting that gift,” Clotho explains.

“But over time, those gifts were taken from the pantheon. They proved unworthy of making the right choices,” Lachesis continues.

“So now the loom is unchanging. No new golden threads have been added for many a year,” Atropos finishes.

“But...but it’s possible, right? I know someone worthy of immortality. She is kind of heart, she is brave, she is loyal.” She takes a deep breath. “And I love her. And she loves me. Please...grant me at least the chance to offer immortality to her.”

“It is not easy. Nor is it without risk,” Clotho warns.

“That which can give life can take it away if the receiver is unworthy of the gift bestowed,” Lachesis adds.

“I don’t understand...” Ali questions.

“If you give a gift from the wrong god’s stores, it will kill the mortal and condemn him or her to Tartarus for eternity,” Atropos explains.

“So...for instance...if you give a warlord something from Ares he will be fine, but if it comes from, say Aphrodite, it would kill him?”

“Perhaps yes, perhaps no. The elixir must match what is within their heart. And there is no way to know whose potion to trust without trial,” Clotho says.

“So there is only one chance or...or they die,” Ali whispers. She runs her hand through her hair. “Is there a test? A way to know what potion to give?”

“No. You must follow your heart if you decide to offer a mortal the elixir,” Lachesis answers.

“And there’s no second chance?”

“No,” Atropos confirms.

“Shit,” Ali says as she starts to pace.

The Fates watch the demi-goddess pace. Most who have made this request have acted quickly and just asked for an elixir from their patron god or goddess. The concern for the one this immortal loves is more than they have ever seen. It is not about possession, this is about love. Clotho walks over to the wall and a shelf appears out of the darkness. She lifts up a vial of pink, see-through liquid. She walks over and extends her hand to Ali.

“If she remembers who she is and her heart is true, this will allow the two of you spend eternity together,” Clotho says, offering Ali a small bottle of potion.

“What...what is this?” Ali asks, staring at it.

She gets no answer. When she looks back up, Clotho is once again at the loom, helping her sisters maintain the many life threads upon it. Ali sighs and turns to go.

“Have faith, Alexa, daughter of Athena,” the three Fates intone together.

“Faith...easier said than done,” Ali says as she leaves the temple to await her return to Earth.  
 

* * *

 

After a while Whitney convinces Ashlyn to get up, shower, and get dressed. While the Cali-girl makes something for them to eat, Ashlyn decides to check her phone. She smiles as she sees a text from Ali. Then frowns as she opens it.

“Fuck,” she mutters.

“What’s wrong?”

“Alex texted me. Said she needed to clear her head a bit. She’s on a flight to England to spend a couple days there and to meet with an old professor to see if they will come to America to vouch for her in this inquiry.”

Whitney smiles. “There! See! She just needs time. Everything will be fine, Ash. You’ll see. Now, go shower. Seriously, you smell like a still.”

Ashlyn chuckles and with new life in her step she goes off to shower. As she cooks, Whitney flips on the TV to catch the news. Like all the members of the USWNT she is eagerly awaiting word on whether or not they are getting the ticker tape parade in New York on Friday. After a few mundane stories, the anchor suddenly announces breaking news.

“This just in, Delta Airlines flight 4383 from Dulles to London has gone missing over the Atlantic,” the man drones. “U.S. and British military ships have been ordered into the last known area where a signal was detected from the airline. Family members are encouraged to contact the airline to be put on a notification list if they know anyone on this flight. As soon as we have more information we’ll bring it to you.”

As he switches to another story, his voice fades out for Whitney. She goes to her friend’s bedroom and takes the phone off its charger. She says a prayer as she opens up the text from Ali regarding her flight.

Flight 4383.

Whitney covers her mouth to bite back a sob as she waits for her best friend to get out of the shower. Maybe there would be a miracle and the plane is okay. Or it made a water landing and the passengers are fine. Otherwise...otherwise Ashlyn would not have a chance to reconcile with her fiancé.  
 

* * *

 

Ali watches with frustration as Ashlyn drops to her knees when Whitney tells her about the plane. She watches as Ashlyn swings from despair to manic positivity while waiting for word on the fate of the plane.

She throws the scrying bowl across the room when she sees Ashlyn collapse completely when it is confirmed the plane went down with no survivors.

“I’m sorry, Alexa,” Athena says sadly.

“When can I go back? When can I go back and alleviate the sorrow of my Adrasteia?”

“I...I don’t know.”

“Then leave me the hell alone until you do, Mother,” she says bitterly. “My heart will hurt until I am returned to her. The mortal side of me has feelings that you will never comprehend.”

Athena just watches as the last of her progeny paces in anger and sorrow as she awaits the chance to return to her soulmate.


	18. Chapter 18

Alexa, daughter of Athena appears in a parking lot. She slowly looks around at the palm trees, the sandy soil and tropical flowers. She smiles.

“Florida. I’m back for her! Thank you, Clotho, for weaving me back into her life!”

She turns until her eyes fall on the building behind her. She races towards it, not noticing the sign welcoming her to the Satellite Beach Retirement Community. As she enters she sees a reception desk and hurries to it. As she goes to ask for Ashlyn, she notices an elderly woman in a wheelchair. She looks around and sees a man with a walker. At a table near a large window four octogenarians play a round of cards. She swallows hard and tries to find a calendar or anything to tell her what year it is. How long had she been gone? Maybe...maybe Ashlyn just works here. Yes, that has to be it!

“Uh, honey? I asked if I could help you,” a kind woman asks again.

Ali brings her eyes down to the lady, blushing. “Oh, uh, sorry. First visit. Um, is...is Ashlyn Harris available?”

The woman smiles. “Ah, yes, our hometown hero. She was a World Cup Champion, you know.”

Ali smiles proudly. “Yes, I know. I saw her win it.”

The woman’s face frowns in confusion. “Saw her? You mean...a recording of it, right?”

Ali blushes and forces out a laugh. “Of course. I’m an old friend of hers. Well, her kids, really.” Ali hopes that is young enough.

“I see. You look more like the age of her grandkids,” she says suspiciously.

Ali forces out a chuckle, wondering just how long she has been gone. “Well, of course. Her kids were my babysitters.”

The woman smiles. “Ah, that explains it.”

“Yeah. Just wanted to let her know how I’m doing. She was...is special to me.”

“She is a very special lady, that’s for sure. She’s in room 134, just down the hall.”

“Thank you.” Ali starts down the hall then stops. “Uh, out of curiosity, how old is she now?”

The woman glances at the screen and smiles. “87 just last week.”

“Wow...87,” Ali mumbles as her excitement dims.

She wanders down to room 134. She pauses outside of it. She had no idea what Ashlyn’s health status is. Will she recognize Ali? Will she be able to remember their lives in Ancient Greece or will that block be still mercifully on her mind? Will she really know Ali or will Ali be just another old girlfriend? Or will they be perfect strangers? Ali sighs and pushes the door open.

Ashlyn is asleep on the bed. Her once long, blonde hair is now grey and cut in a sensible, easy to manage bob. Her tattooed left arm lies on top of the covers, Athena and Zeus still watching over her, though faded by time. Her muscles are still defined though perhaps not as much as they had been in her prime. Ali walks over to a dresser holding more than a dozen family photos. Ali lifts one up and smiles. Turns out Ashlyn eventually married a beautiful woman and they had 3 children together. Other photos show those children, now grown, with children and grandchildren of their own. As Ali sets it down she sees another one tucked in the back corner. She reverently lifts it up.

Ashlyn in her red USWNT keeper’s kit kissing a lovely brunette after her team won the 2015 Women’s World Cup. A tear forms in Ali’s eyes as she remembers how happy she had been that day. Her lips tingle at the memory of that kiss captured forever on film.

“That was taken in 2015,” Ashlyn says softly, her voice dimmed by age.

Ali spins around and stares into hazel eyes she had never stopped loving. Ash smiles, her dimple still making Ali’s heart skip a beat. “I remem...uh, I know,” Ali says.

She sets the picture down and walks over to the bed. She sees Ashlyn studying her carefully. She takes the older-looking woman’s hand.

“Hi, Ashlyn. It’s been a long time.”

Ashlyn’s eyes trace the face. “Uh, yes. I’m sorry but...I don’t remember you, honey. You must be a friend of one of my grandkids.”

Ali stares into Ashlyn’s eyes. “Actually, I was a friend of yours. My name is...is Ali.”

Ashlyn frowns, racking her brains for how she could know this woman. “If we made mad passionate love last week I apologize. My mind doesn’t keep up with my body anymore,” she says with an irreverent chuckle.

Ali laughs, glad to see that crazy spark still burns in her soulmate. “No, no we didn’t make love last week.” Ali thinks a moment and brings her hand to the tattoos on Ashlyn’s left arm. “Athena, goddess of wisdom and war. Zeus, father of Athena and king of the gods. A tribute to the relationship with your own father.”

“So you’ve read all the old stories about me, I see.”

“You told me yourself the meaning of these tattoos. Of all your tattoos. Look into my eyes, Ashlyn. Please tell me you recognize me,” Ali says with an air of desperation.

Ashlyn studies the strange woman. “Did I coach you?”

Ali sighs and her head drops. “No...no you weren’t my coach.” She lifts her head, staring at the ceiling. It was cruel to bring her back here to an Ashlyn that doesn’t remember her; to an Ashlyn with little time left on this earth. Would her Adrasteia want to abandon her family? No. She sighs and looks back down. “I shouldn’t have come here. I’m sorry to disturb you.”

As she starts to the door, Ashlyn is struck by a feeling that she can’t let this young woman leave.

“Wait.” Ali pauses but does not turn back. “Seems a shame for you to trek all the way out here and not stay a while. How about a walk in the gardens with an old lady?”

Ali considers it then turns back. She smiles, her eyes tear-filled. “Sounds wonderful.”  
 

* * *

 

A few minutes later they silently walk among the flowers and plants of a nice garden behind the home. Ashlyn points out some of the plants she helps to maintain. They come to a bench in the center of the garden and have a seat. Ali chuckles when she sees the fountain nearby.

“Antheia,” she states.

Ashlyn looks at her in surprise. “Very good. Most people don’t know she’s the Greek goddess of gardens.”

“I’m not...most people.”

“No, something tells me you’re not. So...who are you, exactly?” Ashlyn queries.

Ali stares at the ground a moment. “I have been many people in my lifetime.”

“Multiple personality issues?” the octogenarian jokes.

Ali laughs. “Maybe.” She stands and starts to pace. “A long time ago, in ancient Greece, a young girl was born. Her mother wasn’t around much but her father, a simple farmer, always said she was a wonderful woman that he loved very much. When he was killed in an accident when the girl was just 12 her mother reappeared. Imagine the girl’s shock to find out her mother was Athena, goddess of war and wisdom.”

Ashlyn’s right hand goes to her left bicep. “Uh, is there a point to this story?”

“Yes. Please just humour me?”

“Okay. But better hurry; I’m not getting any younger,” Ashlyn teases.

Ali smiles. “I know.” She takes a deep breath and continues. “Athena took her daughter to one of her remote temples to be raised by her priests and guarded by her warriors. The child grew to love and respect her mother but knew the way to serve her was as a guardian of that temple, not a simple priestess. With the blessing of the goddess, the girl was trained by the best warriors until she could beat them all no matter their size or strength. She eventually was named the captain of those guards and they respected her and would give their lives for her.”

“Impressive.”

Ali nods. “Very. But the woman, Alexa, was lonely. She had resigned herself to forgo love because of a secret her mother had told her. You see, the young girl was immortal. For her whole life she would lose friends, lovers, family members and not have the serenity of a promised death to comfort her; not have the knowledge she would see them once more in Elysia. It is a curse to love so long and yet have an empty heart in the end.”

Ashlyn is frowning. Something about this story is starting to stir something within her. Ali doesn’t notice and continues to pace and talk.

“But one day a young girl came into the temple with her father’s tribute. She asked to stay and serve the temple. The captain listened to her appeal and was ready to name her a priestess in training. But the young girl didn’t want that job. She wanted to be a warrior. That was her calling. Somewhat reluctantly, the captain agreed and for 2 years that girl trained until she, too, became a woman warrior in Athena’s temple. On the day of her induction, she pledged her life to Athena...and her heart to her captain.”

“Her lochagos,” Ashlyn whispers so softly Ali doesn’t hear her.

“For a few glorious years they served together by day and loved each other by night.” Ali smiles at the memories. “During the day the captain was in charge. But at night, in the sanctity of their hut, the warrior had the heart of her captain. They had a love that was...was timeless. Or so Alexa hoped.” She sighs. “And then word came of a battalion of Persians approaching. They would make the village a supply station or level it. Word was sent to a neighboring town and squad of warriors was sent to help the temple guard. The villagers also fought with all they had but...”

“The village and town were destroyed,” Ashlyn concludes, noticing the tears on Ali’s cheeks.

“Yes. Women and children took refuge in the temple and the guards held it as long as they could. When...when it became obvious the village would fall, Athena appeared to her daughter and offered to take her to safety. As an immortal, she could not fall into enemy hands. The captain refused, she stayed with her men and her lover as long as she could. When the temple was about to fall...the captain did the last thing she could do to save her lover.”

“She murdered her.”

Ali looks up in surprise. “Yes...yes, she did. She couldn’t let her beloved fall into enemy hands; not knowing what would happen to her if those men took her. And once her lover’s life was committed to Hades, Alexa then had Athena whisk her away. She has since spent eternity searching for the reincarnation of her soulmate.”

“That’s sad. Did she ever find her?”

Ali slowly nods. “She did. She thought she found her several times over the centuries but finally, about 57 years ago she finally did find her long lost Adrasteia. But time was not kind to the reunited lovers. Alexa became known and too many questions were being asked about her so...so her time on Earth had to be cut short.” Ali is crying full force now. “She begged and pleaded to be returned to Earth before her Adra died again, hoping that somehow the memories that had been blocked from her love would be freed once more.” She wipes her eyes and looks at the sky. “But the Fates have played a cruel joke upon her. Alexa returned but her Adra is once more beyond her grasp.”

The two women are silent a moment, Ali staring at the sky in despair; Ashlyn looking at the woman in confusion. Ali’s hands are on her hips, her head tilted to the sky. At that moment, the sun comes out from behind a cloud and lights her up with a halo. Ashlyn inhales sharply as two lifetimes of memories streak through her mind. She grabs at her chest and drops off the bench to her knees. Ali leaps towards her and holds her shoulders.

“ASHLYN! Shit! What’s wrong? Is it your heart?”

Ashlyn slowly looks up. “Yes, it’s my heart.”

“Do you need a doctor?”

Ashlyn shakes her head. “No.” She lifts a hand to Ali’s cheek. “I need my lochagos to call me her Adra once again.”

Ali’s heart skips a beat. “You...you what?”

“Ali. Alexandra Krieger. Those are your names now. But when I first knew you, when I first loved you, you were my lochagos, Alexa of the Temple Athena.”

“You...you remember? Are you...are you sure?”

Ashlyn smiles. “I remember it all. That picture...the woman in the stands is you. I knew she was an ex-girlfriend that was killed in a plane crash. One of my grandkids found it and thought it was my late wife. I didn’t have the heart to correct them.”

Ali smiles. “Still the sweet woman I’ve always loved.”

The two stare at each other. Ashlyn finally sighs.

“Now what? I’m an old lady. You deserve a younger woman.”

“My heart is yours, my Adra. It always has been.” She fingers the bottle in her pocket. “I have...a way we could be together but...but...”

“But what? You gonna spring me out of here?” Ashlyn jokes.

“Yes. No. Not exactly.” She thinks a minute. “You love your kids, grandkids and great grandkids, don’t you?”

Ashlyn smiles. “Yes, I do. I am so proud of all of them. I treasure the times they come visit me.”

“They visit often?”

“Oh, someone is here every weekend. Not sure if they have an official schedule or what but they always make time to spend the day with me and I go to someone’s house for the holidays. It is wonderful,” she says proudly.

“Then...then I guess...” Ali’s voice cracks and she closes her fist over the bottle. “I guess this still isn’t our time then. I can’t take you from them. It’s not fair to you or to them.”

“Take me? Why would I have to leave them?”

Ali sighs. “I have something that...that will make you like me: young and immortal. We could spend eternity together. But with immortality comes the requirement of leaving all you know behind. Most likely their lives would be woven to believe you had passed away.” Ali wipes away her tears. “You would remember everything and you wouldn’t even be able to comfort them. By the time you returned to Earth they would...well...your grandkids would have great-grandkids or...or beyond. I can’t do that to you.”

Ashlyn thinks about this a moment. “But they wouldn’t know anything more than I passed?”

“Yes. I’d hate to hurt them that way.”

Ashlyn smiles. “Oh, my sweet lochagos, don’t you understand? They are already preparing themselves for that very thing. I will still have my memories of them?” Ali nods. “Then how could I not want to return to your side for eternity?”

Ali smiles. “Are...are you sure?”

Ashlyn nods. “I am.” She lifts Ali’s hand and kisses it. “Please, Alexa, let us be together once more.”

Ali lifts the bottle and pops off the top. She thinks back to what Aphrodite had told her: part of Ali to part of Ashlyn. She uses the sharp point on the bottle top to pierce her finger and allow a few drops of blood to drop in. The liquid starts to glow. “This may hurt. I don’t know,” she warns.

Ashlyn grins. “No pain, no gain.”

She tips the bottle up and drains it. Ali watches as a golden aura seems to leech from Ashlyn, surrounding her body. The elderly woman’s eyes widen. She grabs at her chest.

“Alexa...what’s...it hurts...it’s...it’s...”

She falls to the ground. Ali stares at her in horror and checks her pulse. She stands and screams.

“HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME! PLEASE! HELP ME!” She drops to her knees beside Ashlyn. “Please wake up, baby. Please. Please, Adra, I can’t lose you again! Please!”  
 

* * *

 

Ashlyn’s eyes slowly flutter open. Her vision is blurry but she can see a white ceiling and white walls. She lies in a soft bed. Her head lolls to the side and she sees a bouquet of flowers on a table beside the bed. Then a blurry figure with raven hair leans over her.

“Ashlyn? Are you back with us?”

Ashlyn blinks her eyes a few times and then rubs them. She slowly looks around and her first impression of a hospital is replaced by confusion.

“Where...where am I? Alex?”

Ali smiles. “Yes, baby. It’s me.”

Another woman steps up to the bed. Her hair is dark and her eyes are unmistakably Ali’s. Athena places a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

“You had us worried, Ashlyn.”

“Are you...are we...what’s...”

Ali smiles. “Welcome to Olympus, my Adra. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

Ashlyn smiles, her dimple giving Ali a thrill. The keeper lifts her hand, seeing it has lost the wrinkles and spots of age, and Ali takes it in both of hers.

“You mean, it’s the first day of the rest of our life, Lochagos.”

Ali smiles. “Our life. I think I like that even more.”

The two share a long, passionate kiss. Ali’s heart had shattered the day she had killed her lover to protect her. And now she had killed her lover once more but this time with a much better result. Athena smiles and steps out of the room, happy that her daughter’s heart is once again whole. My but the Fates sure do love their irony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it. My first foray into this fandom. Hope you have enjoyed my crazy little folly. I appreciate all the kudos and the comments on this story.
> 
> I do have a second story about a chapter away from being finished so maybe by tomorrow I can be posting that one.Y'all are the best!  
> \--AR


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